US President Donald Trump announced that a Pakistani delegation will arrive in Washington next week for critical trade talks, amid rising tariffs and recent regional tensions. The US-Pak Trade Diplomacy 2025 effort aims to address a looming 29% tariff on Pakistani exports due to a $3 billion trade surplus with the United States.
Trade Tensions and Negotiations
The negotiations began with a phone call between Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. Trump confirmed the upcoming visit, saying, “Pakistan representatives are coming in next week.” He also linked trade progress to regional peace, adding, “I wouldn’t deal with countries at war with each other.”
India’s Trade Minister also visited Washington recently, pushing for an interim agreement by July. Both India and Pakistan face steep US tariffs—26% and 29% respectively—announced under Trump’s global tariff strategy. Pakistani economists warn these could cost Pakistan up to $1.4 billion annually.
Read: Trump Says Gaza Ceasefire Deal ‘Very Close’
Trump Claims Role in Ceasefire
Trump again took credit for brokering the May 10 ceasefire between India and Pakistan, claiming his intervention prevented a nuclear disaster. “We talk trade, but we can’t trade with people shooting at each other,” he said. Islamabad quietly supports this version, while India rejects outside involvement.
This marks Trump’s fifth public reference to his role in halting the conflict. He framed his leadership as essential to global stability, citing crises in Ukraine, Gaza, and South Asia. “Now we have something where we’re really healing,” he said.
High-Level Delegation in Washington
A Pakistani team led by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari arrives in New York on June 2. It will meet UN and OIC officials before heading to Washington on June 3. There, the group will engage with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US lawmakers, and policy experts.
For Islamabad, Trump’s comments boost the delegation’s diplomatic posture. Officials hope to use the moment to reshape US-Pakistan ties and push for long-standing issues like Kashmir.
As one Pakistani diplomat remarked, “It doesn’t matter who claims credit—as long as the guns fall silent.”
Follow us on Google News, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook,Whats App, and TikTok for latest updates
