Pakistan’s relations with the US have improved dramatically since President Trump assumed office early this year. The first sign of a thaw between Pakistan and the US was Washington’s decision to release in February this year $397 million for the use of F-16 aircraft.

Shortly thereafter, while addressing the joint session of Congress on March 3, the president credited and thanked Pakistan for arresting and handing over the mastermind of the Abbey Gate terrorist in August 2021, who had killed 13 American soldiers. Behind the scenes, American and Pakistani ranking officials were in touch to improve relations, and they were making progress.

But it was the May 2025 India-Pakistan war that radically changed the Pak-US dynamics. Pakistan had a clear upper hand in the war imposed by India, accepted US mediation to broker a ceasefire to avert a more catastrophic escalation, and thanked President Trump for his intervention. India botched its aggressive military operation, told its people and the world lies about its losses and declined to acknowledge the constructive role played by the US in ending the war.

Washington was impressed that Pakistan could outperform a much bigger country with precision and dexterity. By contrast, the Indian tone towards the US was defiant and acrimonious – and this did not go down well in Washington. To add to their woes, President Trump put Pakistan and India on the same pedestal and offered help with the resolution of the Kashmir dispute, an anathema to Delhi across the political spectrum.

In parallel, Pakistan was........

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