US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has discussed the development of Pakistan's critical minerals and energy sectors with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during talks in Washington, DC.
The meeting took place on Thursday on the sidelines of the inaugural session of the Board of Peace, where Pakistan participated as a founding member.
According to a statement by State Department principal deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott, Rubio thanked Pakistan for its ongoing support of President Donald Trump's 20-point plan for Gaza and for taking part in the board's first meeting.
Attacks in the country
He also welcomed Pakistan's participation in a recent critical minerals ministerial held in the US capital.
"The officials discussed critical minerals and energy sector development, as well as commercial investment opportunities for American companies," Pigott said.
The talks focused on cooperation in developing Pakistan's natural resource base and expanding prospects for US private sector involvement.
Separately, Rubio offered condolences over what he described as the "horrific" attacks on January 31 by the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army in the southwestern province of Balochistan, as well as the February 6 suicide bombing at a mosque in Islamabad.
He reaffirmed the importance of US-Pakistan cooperation in counterterrorism efforts and underlined the countries' partnership in addressing security challenges.
