Washington – February 21, 2025
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who traveled to Washington on an unofficial visit in hopes of meeting officials from U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s administration, has returned home disappointed after failing to secure any meetings.
Dar, who also oversees Pakistan’s foreign affairs ministry, had expected to hold discussions with Trump administration officials during his trip last week. However, he returned to Pakistan yesterday without meeting any officials from the U.S. government.
Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited Washington on an official invitation, spent a full week engaging with senior officials of the Trump administration. Modi returned to India at a time when the U.S. handed over Tahir Hussain, a member of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, to Indian authorities. Hussain was wanted for his alleged involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks and had been arrested in the United States.
For Pakistan, Dar’s unproductive visit and the Trump administration’s close engagement with Indian officials send significant signals regarding the region’s political dynamics.
