KARACHI: Pakistan’s finance minister, Muhammad Aurangzeb, has left for the United States (US) for a “final” round of trade talks between the two countries, the Pakistani finance ministry said on Monday.
Pakistan and the US have been engaged in talks after Washington announced a 29 percent “reciprocal tariff” on Pakistani exports in April. Islamabad said the move, paused on April 9 for a 90-day period, may undercut its fragile, export-led recovery.
The US is Pakistan’s top export destination, with shipments totaling $5.44 billion in fiscal year 2023-2024, according to official data. From July 2024 to February 2025, exports rose 10 percent from a year earlier.
The Pakistani finance ministry said the finalization of a trade agreement between Pakistan and the US will benefit both economies, noting opportunities for partnership between the two countries in various sectors.
“US is Pakistan’s largest trading partner. Pakistan is keen to expand bilateral trade ties to traditional and non-traditional sectors,” it said.
