Malik Khuda Bakhsh, Convener of the FPCCI Energy Committee, Senior Vice Chairman of the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA), and President of the Pakistan Business Forum (Karachi Region), said on Monday that US leader Donald Trump’s expression of positive views for the first time in history about Field Marshal General Syed Asim Munir and Prime Minister Mian Shehbaz Sharif will help bring the two countries closer. Malik Khuda Bakhsh said that after years of coldness with Pakistan, the United States has changed its foreign policy course, which is not only restoring Pak-US relations but also US President Donald Trump’s decision to strengthen relations with the world’s only Islamic nuclear country, despite disputes with India and Afghanistan and differences on many issues, including Israel, will open new avenues of relations between Pakistan and the US, which will prove beneficial for Pakistan. Pakistan and the US have started negotiations on a multi-billion dollar defense deal, which includes the provision of modern military equipment in exchange for access to Pakistan’s mineral resources.
Bakhsh, the convener of the FPCCI’s energy committee, stated that under the proposed agreement, the United States would provide Pakistan with state-of-the-art air-to-air missiles and fighter jets. In return, the U.S. would assist in developing Pakistan’s rare earth minerals, described as its “greatest asset,” in exchange for low tariffs.
According to Bakhsh, this diplomatic breakthrough follows Pakistan’s “crushing defeat” of India in the May 2025 war. He asserted that the conflict resulted in Pakistan’s global recognition as a significant power. He highlighted that U.S. President Donald Trump has been consistently praising the military strategy of Field Marshal Asim Munir and the “wisdom and foresight” of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The business leader noted that this represents a major shift in U.S. foreign policy after a period of strained relations. He expressed that President Trump’s decision to strengthen ties with “the world’s only Islamic nuclear power” – despite regional disputes concerning India and Afghanistan and differing stances on issues like Israel – is opening new avenues for beneficial cooperation for Pakistan.
Bakhsh also pointed to the strength of existing economic links, stating that bilateral trade in goods was estimated at approximately $7.2 billion in 2024. He mentioned that discussions are underway to further boost trade relations, with a new milestone being the recent arrival of the first shipment of U.S. crude oil to Pakistan.
He concluded by saying that Pakistan is currently succeeding in balancing its foreign relations with both the United States and China, and that the unity of Pakistan’s political and military leadership is in the U.S. interest to maintain a strong partnership. Bakhsh made these remarks in his capacity as a leader of several business forums, including the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association and the Pakistan Business Forum.