WASHINGTON – US Defense Secretary Pat Hegseth has called Pakistan a “true friend” amid growing diplomatic engagement with Washington. The remarks by a close Trump aide indicate close coordination between Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership, with Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir as key figures in talks on regional peace and stability.

Hegseth described the relationship between Washington and Islamabad as a “genuine friendship”, which he attributed to the growing diplomatic engagement between the two countries.

Talking about the emerging relationship, he highlighted Pakistan’s leadership at both civil and military levels, saying it was playing an active role in regional stability efforts. He specifically cited Field Marshal Asim Munir, who was reported to be involved in sensitive diplomatic negotiations, including those involving the US and Iran.

He also advised the top civilian leadership of Pakistan including the Prime Minister. Shahbaz Sharifis part of ongoing talks focused on peace and regional tensions. He called this level of coordination between Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership an “unexpected development”, implying that it reflected a more unified approach to foreign policy engagement.

Addressing broader regional concerns, he said such diplomatic activities were critical to stability in South Asia, especially given the long-standing tensions between nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan. According to him, even small diplomatic initiatives can make a meaningful difference in reducing the risk of tensions. Hegseth also cited past U.S. diplomatic efforts while giving credit to the former president. Donald Trump For his role in de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan through engagement during his tenure.

The comments came amid media reports linking Field Marshal Asim Munir to back-channel diplomatic efforts to ease tensions between Washington and Tehran. These reports have also highlighted the close coordination between Pakistan’s civilian government and military leadership at a time of geopolitical sensitivity.

Hegseth cited Trump’s past description of Munir as his “favorite field marshal”, a comment that has reignited political debate and added to the growing focus on Pakistan’s role in international diplomacy.

Overall, the remarks reflect an era of new diplomatic visibility for Pakistan, as its leadership is increasingly cited in discussions about regional stability and international mediation efforts.

Pakistan and the US agree to deepen cooperation in trade, security and investment negotiations.