Islamabad, 19 August 2022 (TDI): The Counselor of the Department of State of the US, Derek Chollet, spoke with the Foreign Secretary of Pakistan, Sohail Mahmood, in the context of the 75th anniversary of US-Pakistan relations.
Both discussed the USA’s support for Pakistan’s economic growth and the recent health dialogue between the two states. They also discussed the Afghanistan coordination and solidarity with Ukraine.
Delighted to speak with Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood today. Welcomed #USPAK 75th diplomatic anniversary; discussed U.S. support for Pakistan’s economic growth & recent Health Dialogue. We also focused on Afghanistan coordination & solidarity with Ukraine. #PakUSAt75
— Derek Chollet (@CounselorDOS) August 18, 2022
US and Pakistan Relations
The United States established diplomatic relations with Pakistan following the country’s independence in 1947. The US works closely with Pakistan on various issues ranging from energy, trade and investment, health, and climate crisis.
Afghanistan stabilization and counterterrorism are also areas of cooperation between the two countries. This cooperation is rooted in shared values and convergence of interest on regional and strategic issues.
The two countries were close strategic partners during the Cold War.
In 1971, Pakistan was critical in facilitating the China-U.S. rapprochement that fundamentally reconfigured the Cold War. Moreover, the cooperation between Pakistan and the U.S. was crucial to the eventual Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan in 1989.
The United States has been one of the largest sources of foreign direct investment in Pakistan and remains Pakistan’s largest export market.
Trade and investment relations between the United States and Pakistan continue to grow.
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US-Pakistan Economic Ties
According to IMF estimates, Pakistan is the fifth largest country in the world by population and ranked as the 44th largest economy in 2022. The United States has long been Pakistan’s largest export market.
The US imported more than $5 billion in Pakistani goods in 2021, far surpassing any other country.
The United States has also been a leading investor in Pakistan for the past 20 years.
In the most recent fiscal year, US direct investment increased by 50 percent in Pakistan. It is now the highest it has been in over a decade.
