Washington — Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a key meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on February 19, 2026, discussing cooperation in critical minerals, energy, counter-terrorism, and prospects for increased American investment, according to a State Department statement.
The talks took place on the sidelines of the inaugural session of the Board of Peace, a US-led Gaza peace forum that Prime Minister Shehbaz addressed earlier in the day. Rubio thanked Pakistan for supporting Trump’s Gaza peace plan and for joining the board as a founding member. He also offered condolences over the January 31 attacks in Balochistan and the February 6 bombing in Islamabad, reaffirming the importance of continued counter-terrorism partnership.
Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of State, has met with Shehbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan.
In a post on his X account, he wrote that during the meeting they discussed the importance of strategic relations between the two countries, particularly in the development of critical… pic.twitter.com/N4eFRPgSGc
— TOLOnews English (@TOLONewsEnglish) February 20, 2026
Key Highlights
- PM Shehbaz meets US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington.
- Discussions cover critical minerals, energy, counter-terrorism, and investment.
- Rubio thanks Pakistan for joining Board of Peace and Gaza plan support.
- Condolences offered for recent attacks in Balochistan and Islamabad.
- PM to send special message to Sri Lankan president via Interior Minister Naqvi.
- Informal meetings held with Bahrain, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Indonesia leaders.
- PM credits Trump for averting Pakistan-India crisis in May 2025.
The prime minister also welcomed Trump’s role in defusing the May 2025 Pakistan-India conflict, saying his intervention had “potentially averted the loss of tens of millions of people” and describing him as “a man of peace” and “a saviour of South Asia.”
Trump, in turn, recalled his contacts with both Islamabad and New Delhi during the crisis, saying he had warned that the United States would halt trade negotiations and could impose 200 per cent tariffs if fighting continued. “I called them and said I am not doing trade deals with you two guys if you don’t settle this up,” he said, adding that the threat of economic consequences helped bring about de-escalation. He also praised Pakistani leadership in this regard.
PRESIDENT TRUMP on ending the war between INDIA and PAKISTAN:
I told them I’m going to put 200% tariffs on each of their countries. It essentially doesn’t allow them to do any business. When it came to losing money, they said we don’t want to fight. And we solved that deal. pic.twitter.com/gM4J7s1oHT
— Department of State (@StateDept) February 19, 2026
The prime minister praised Trump’s “bold diplomacy” and “dynamic leadership” in resolving international crises.
Board of Peace and Gaza Focus
Earlier, addressing the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace — formally established last month after being proposed in September 2025 — Prime Minister Shehbaz stressed the need to end ceasefire violations in Gaza. “The people of Palestine have long endured the illegal occupation and immense suffering. And, to achieve long-lasting peace, it is very important that ceasefire violations must end to preserve life and advance reconstruction efforts,” he said.
He added that Palestinians must exercise full control over their land and future in line with UN Security Council resolutions. Praising Trump’s role, he said that through his “untiring support and great efforts, long-lasting peace in Gaza will be achieved” and that it would remain his legacy.
The Board of Peace, with the US as depository and the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace as headquarters, was authorised by a UN Security Council resolution in mid-November 2025 to help establish an International Stabilisation Force in Gaza following the October ceasefire under a Trump-backed plan accepted by Israel and Hamas. The truce has remained fragile with repeated violations.
Diplomatic Outreach
The prime minister also held informal meetings with several world leaders attending the Board of Peace session, including the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and the President of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto. “Important regional and global issues” were discussed, according to a Prime Minister’s Office statement.
It was also decided that Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi will soon visit Sri Lanka to deliver a special message from Prime Minister Shehbaz to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
Pakistan’s participation in the Board of Peace reflects its efforts toward Gaza reconstruction, ceasefire implementation, and global peace. The Washington engagements highlight Islamabad’s push to expand economic cooperation with the United States — particularly in energy and minerals — while aligning with US-led diplomatic initiatives. Further diplomatic follow-ups are anticipated in the coming weeks.
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