Washington (TDI): Trade negotiations between Pakistan and the United States picked up momentum on Monday, as both sides engaged in another round of discussions on tariff-related matters, with Islamabad aiming to wrap up a deal ahead of the fast-approaching August 1 deadline.
This marked the second interaction between the two countries’ top officials within three days. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on July 25, and followed up with a phone call on Monday.
According to a statement from Pakistan’s Foreign Office, Dar and Rubio discussed bilateral trade issues, particularly tariffs, along with key regional and global developments. The FO noted that the phone call was a continuation of the “productive” in-person meeting they held last week in Washington.
The United States had initially planned to implement new tariffs by the end of July, but those plans have now been delayed until August, providing a short window for further negotiations. Washington remains Pakistan’s largest export destination, with annual trade volume exceeding $5 billion.
Read More:Â Diplomacy in DC: Dar, Rubio Discuss Trade and Regional Stability
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has flown to Washington to help finalize a trade pact with the Trump Administration. He is expected to work toward finalizing a mutually agreed tariff structure before the August 1 deadline.
Aurangzeb’s departure followed a high-level meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office, where it was decided that Pakistan must seize the opportunity to avoid the imposition of higher US tariffs, The News reported.
The American side has warned that if a deal is not signed by the deadline, higher reciprocal duties may be enforced.
Ahead of his trip, Aurangzeb had met with the US Chargé d’Affaires in Islamabad, signalling that most of the groundwork for the trade agreement had already been laid.
In a press release, the Ministry of Finance confirmed that Minister Aurangzeb’s visit to the US is part of the ongoing trade dialogue, with the goal of concluding a broad-based agreement that strengthens bilateral commercial ties.
Read More:Â Dar Meets US Secretary of State Rubio in Washington Today
Officials involved in the talks described the visit as a critical step toward boosting economic cooperation across multiple sectors. Pakistan is keen to expand beyond traditional exports and is eyeing new areas of collaboration such as IT, mineral resources, and agriculture.
The US-Pakistan economic partnership has long been a central pillar of bilateral relations, and officials from both countries have signalled a shared commitment to deepening that partnership through meaningful trade reforms and investment.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
