Islamabad:
Pakistan and the United States agreed to improve trade and financial cooperation to promote a mutually advantageous partnership after a high -level meeting between Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and US Trade Secretary Howard Lutnick Friday, the Ministry of Finance said.
According to a statement, the Pakistani delegation also met with the US Trade Representative (Ustr) Ambassador Jamieson Greer in Washington, DC. Discussions focused on promoting financial commitment, expanding market access and identifying new ways to cooperation.
Both sides expressed satisfaction over the progress made in bilateral trading conditions-a key pills in Pakistan-US-band-and-confirmed their commitment to exploring opportunities in traditional and new sectors.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb meets US Trade Secretary Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer in Washington Friday 18 July 2025. Photo: The Ministry of Finance
Aurangzeb stated that the United States remains Pakistan’s largest trading partner and noticed Islamabad’s interest in expanding cooperation in sectors such as information technology, minerals and agriculture.
He said the goal was to diversify trade and investments in ways that serve both nations’ financial interests. The two sides expressed optimism that ongoing trade interviews would result in positive results, with discussions at technical levels scheduled to end in the coming week.
The relationship between Islamabad and the Trump administration has seen a remarkable recovery in recent months, especially after the United States intervened to convey a ceasefire between Pakistan and India following a four-day conflict in May.
In the observers that were described as an unprecedented diplomatic gesture, President Trump hosted the planing staff fields of Asim Munir in the White House last month. During a lunch in his honor, Trump recognized the role of the army chief in dragging tension with India.
ALSO READ: The commercial community shared over strike calls for Saturday
Last month, Aurangzeb and Lutnick also held a virtual meeting that focused on mutual tariffs – part of wider efforts to calibrate economic ties in the midst of changing geopolitical dynamics.
Pakistan seeks relief from the steep tariffs imposed under President Trump’s trade policy, especially a 29 percent duty on Pakistani exports to the United States.
To equalize trade imbalance – Pakistan registered a $ 3 billion trade surplus with the United States in 2024 – Islamabad has offered to increase imports of US goods, including crude oil, and to provide investment incitaments in its mining sector.
In a parallel development, the US export import bank currently undergoes funding proposals from $ 500 million to $ 1 billion for investments in Pakistan’s mineral wealth, especially Reko Diq Copper-Gold-Gold project of $ 7 billion.
The two countries also hosted a webinar to promote US investments in Pakistan’s mineral sector. The event highlighted opportunities in large extraction projects, including Reko DIQ.
