Key takeaways: Pakistan says its ties with the United States will continue regardless of who controls Washington, after Democrats swept the US midterms. The Foreign Office confirmed talks on deporting Afghan nationals via Pakistan, and said Sikh pilgrims are welcome this month.
Pakistan said on Friday that its relationship with the United States will continue regardless of which party holds power in Washington, in its first formal response to the Democrats’ sweeping midterm victory.
Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan, speaking at his weekly briefing in Islamabad, said Pakistan viewed the United States as an important partner and would keep engaging with successive US administrations. “We have maintained excellent relations with all governments, irrespective of who is in power, and this will continue,” he said.
He named trade, investment, security, counterterrorism and minerals as the main areas of cooperation, and called the US elections an internal matter for the United States.
A relationship built around Trump
Khan made no direct reference to the Democrats or to the change in control of Congress, where Democrats now control both chambers as President Donald Trump enters the final two years of his term.
US-Pakistan relations have revived since Trump’s return to the White House in January 2025, shaped largely by direct engagement between the White House and Pakistan’s military leadership, and now revolving around Iran mediation, cryptocurrency deals, critical minerals and counterterrorism.
Arrangements built through those channels could now face greater congressional scrutiny, over defence cooperation, commercial deals and Pakistan’s governance record. Islamabad’s message was that the relationship does not depend on Trump’s political fortunes.
Afghan deportations under discussion
Khan also confirmed Pakistan was in discussions with US authorities over a proposal to deport Afghan nationals from the United States through Pakistani territory, saying Islamabad was still examining the plan and had yet to reach an understanding.
Reports say the Trump administration is considering deporting around 150 Afghan nationals detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, mainly in Louisiana, to Pakistan for onward transfer to Afghanistan. With no formal diplomatic relations between Washington and the Taliban authorities in Kabul, Pakistan would serve as a transit point.
Khan gave no details of the discussions or whether Pakistan would allow the transfers.
Iran mediation and Sikh pilgrims
Pakistan also reiterated its support for Qatar’s diplomatic initiative to end the conflict between the United States and Iran, with Khan saying the nuclear issue was now a main point of contention.
Khan said Pakistan had helped bring Washington and Tehran to the negotiating table after nearly 47 years without direct engagement.
Separately, Khan said Pakistan was ready to welcome Sikh pilgrims for the 557th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji later this month. He noted pilgrim movement through the Kartarpur Corridor had been suspended by India, and cited the 1974 Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines as the framework for such visits.
Asked about Indian Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann’s reported interest in attending the World Punjabi Conference in Lahore on November 27, Khan said Islamabad would consider a visa if he wished to travel. Whether New Delhi would allow the trip was a separate matter, he added. Khan also confirmed Pakistan had received India’s invitation to the SCO Civilisation Forum in New Delhi on November 20 to 22, with no decision yet on participation.
Why it matters
The briefing was Pakistan’s first public positioning after an election result that reshapes the politics of its most important Western partner, signalling Islamabad wants the relationship judged on long-term interests rather than personal ties with the Trump White House.
What happens next
Engagement with Washington will continue, the Foreign Office said, with the Afghan deportation proposal awaiting a decision. Sikh pilgrims are expected at Nankana Sahib later this month, and a decision on the SCO forum is due before November 20.
Sources
- Dawn, “Pakistan looking at US ties beyond Trump, says FO,” November 7, 2026
- The Express Tribune, “Pakistan says US midterm results won’t unravel ties,” November 7, 2026
- Business Recorder, “Political shifts from the US midterms will not affect ties: FO,” November 7, 2026
- APP via UrduPoint, “Pakistan Says Dialogue Key To Easing Middle East Tensions, Highlights US-Iran Mediation,” November 6, 2026
