'Not a temporary romance': Pakistan envoy says bilateral ties with US strategic necessity

DALLAS: Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Rizwan Saeed Sheikh has said that relations between Islamabad and Washington are not a “temporary romance” but a strategic necessity, vital for regional peace, global stability, and mutual prosperity.

In an exclusive conversation with Geo News during his visit to Dallas, the envoy said the leadership of both countries had already made it clear that a long-term partnership would be pursued through trade and investment. “These relations are not a choice but a reality that will only grow stronger,” he said.

Highlighting Pakistan’s demographics, Sheikh added that the country is the fifth most populous in the world and is projected to become the third largest within the next two to three decades. “In this context, Pakistan-US relations are not optional; they are an unavoidable reality,” he stressed.

Responding to a question about Pakistan’s gains from what some call a “romance” in ties, the ambassador said bilateral relations everywhere are driven by national interest. For Pakistan, the US remains the largest export market, with tariff concessions better than those offered to many competitors. Over 70% of Pakistan’s exports to the US are textiles, but he pointed to expansion opportunities in other sectors, while noting that Pakistan is also the largest importer of American cotton and has recently begun soybean imports.

Sheikh further said that cooperation is being explored in energy and mineral sectors, alongside new-economy areas such as IT, outsourcing, and cryptocurrency. With 65% of its population under 30, Pakistan’s youthful demographic gives it a natural advantage, he said. “The US leadership has made it clear that while America has signed trade agreements with other countries, its investment focus will be on Pakistan — a significant development with long-term implications.”

He also said that several American companies expressed interest in joint ventures, and a Pak-US investment conference will be held in Texas in the coming months before expanding to other states.

Commenting on President Trump’s recent remarks about Pakistan’s oil reserves, Sheikh confirmed that surveys have indeed shown promising deposits of oil and gas, though offshore drilling remains capital-intensive and high-risk. “Pakistan cannot do this alone with limited resources, but with foreign investment, particularly from the US, success rates could rise dramatically, transforming Pakistan’s energy sector.”

In the Indian media criticism following Field Marshal Asim Munir’s visit to the US, the ambassador dismissed it as “wishful thinking.” He recalled  that Indian media outlets in the past even claiming to have “captured Lahore port,” describing such reports as absurd. “The world needs to ask whether such media can even be taken seriously."

The ambassador’s detailed conversation in Dallas highlighted the fact that the Pak-US relations are now moving beyond mere diplomatic rhetoric and are being built on economic, strategic, and long-term foundations. Growing cooperation in trade, energy, minerals, new economy, and investment sectors shows that these relations will take on new dimensions in the days ahead, while Indian propaganda will remain nothing more than wishful thinking.