Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday held the first telephonic conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and the two top diplomats agreed on the need to resolve the issue of military equipment left behind in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of US forces.
According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office (FO), Dar held the call and discussed bilateral relations, regional security and economic cooperation with his US counterpart.
Besides, the US State Department also issued a statement on the high-level contact between the top officials of the two countries. “They (Rubio and Dar) discussed US reciprocal tariffs on Pakistan and how to make progress toward a fair and balanced trade relationship,” the State Department said.
“The Secretary raised prospects for engagement on critical minerals and expressed interest in expanding commercial opportunities for US companies.”
The country has been reeling under increased terrorist attacks targeting law enforcers and security forces since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021 following the withdrawal of US forces.
