ISLAMABAD – US officials signaled all-out support and strategic ties with Pakistan, with top US diplomat Natalie A. Baker calling the two nations now “true partners” bound by trust, diplomacy, and shared global interests.
Ms. Baker thanked embassy staff, donors, and private sponsors for helping organize the historic celebration, calling it a symbol of the strength of the U.S.-Pakistan partnership.
In one of the most striking lines of the evening, Baker said the Trump administration firmly believes that “a strong Pakistan is good for America, and a strong America is good for Pakistan.” She stressed that Washington no longer views its relationship with Islamabad through outdated assumptions, but through practical cooperation, trust, and shared strategic goals.
At largest Independence Day celebration ever hosted by the US Embassy in Pakistan, Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker delivered a sweeping speech praising Pakistan’s leadership, diplomacy, culture, and rising global importance, while repeatedly emphasizing the personal engagement of President Donald Trump with Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership.
Addressing PM Shehbaz Sharif, senior officials, diplomats, business leaders, and foreign guests in Islamabad, Baker described the current relationship between Washington and Islamabad as stronger than ever before. “America’s most important chapter with Pakistan has only just begun,” she declared. “The best is yet to come.”
Baker credited President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif with transforming bilateral ties into a “results-oriented strategic partnership” rooted in mutual respect and aligned interests.
In one of the strongest public endorsements yet from a senior U.S. official, Baker praised both Prime Minister Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir for helping prevent a wider regional conflict during the May 2025 ceasefire crisis involving two nuclear-armed neighbors. “Their statesmanship prevented escalation and opened a new chapter,” she said.
She further highlighted President Trump’s Oval Office meeting with Prime Minister Sharif and Field Marshal Munir, calling it proof of the “extraordinary trust and regard” the American administration holds for Pakistan’s leadership.
Baker also termed Islamabad as the venue for the highest-level talks between the United States and Iran since the 1979 Iranian Revolution.
She said Pakistan played a decisive diplomatic role by bringing both adversaries to the negotiating table during a tense regional period.
“Pakistan rose to the moment,” Baker said, praising the country for coordinating massive security arrangements and facilitating what she described as a 21-hour marathon of diplomacy aimed at preserving regional peace. The remarks portrayed Pakistan not merely as a regional player, but as an emerging diplomatic power capable of hosting world-changing negotiations.
Throughout the address, Baker repeatedly highlighted Pakistan’s growing global importance, describing it as “a nation of consequence” with strategic geography, untapped economic potential, and expanding international influence. “The world’s leading democracies are recognizing what we already know, Pakistan is a nation on the rise,” she stated.
The speech marked one of the clearest indications yet that Washington sees Islamabad as a critical long-term partner in South Asia and beyond.
Moving beyond politics, Baker spoke emotionally about her travels across Pakistan and her personal connection with the country. She recalled attending Lahore’s revived Basant festival after nearly two decades, describing the experience as one of the most joyful moments of her diplomatic career.
A centerpiece of the event was a collection of 16 Liberty Bell replicas painted by Pakistani artists and students through the Embassy’s Lincoln Corner network. The artwork reflected themes of democracy, opportunity, dignity, and freedom.
