Trade between Pakistan and the United States reached $7.3 billion, with the U.S. importing $5.1 billion worth of goods from Pakistan in 2024.
The Pakistani government announced plans to send a delegation to Washington in the coming weeks to negotiate tariff changes.
The U.S. had initially imposed a 29 percent duty on Pakistani imports. However, later, the imposition was delayed for 90 days, Though the new tariffs have been postponed, a base duty of 10 percent remains in place for all countries.
Despite the temporary reprieve, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s office confirmed Wednesday night that the planned delegation visit to the U.S. would proceed. A Commerce Ministry official, speaking anonymously, also confirmed to AFP that the high-level team is expected to depart soon for negotiations with American counterparts.
The announcement came as a US delegation led by a State Department official Eric Meyer held talks with Sharif in Islamabad on Wednesday.
A statement from the prime minister's office said both sides expressed the desire to strengthen bilateral ties.
Pakistan narrowly avoided economic collapse in 2023 amid political instability and mounting debt, but a $7 billion IMF bailout helped stabilize the situation. Since then, the country has seen some recovery, including easing inflation and improved foreign reserves.
Meanwhile, Pakistan's strategic role in U.S. foreign policy has declined following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Current ties mainly focus on counterterrorism cooperation.
Source: Khaleej Times
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