WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has confirmed that representatives from Islamabad are set to visit Washington next week as the government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif seeks to negotiate relief from newly announced US tariffs on Pakistan.
According to Trump, the visit comes as Pakistan tries to avoid a potential 29% tariff on its exports to the US—triggered by a $3 billion trade surplus with America—under a global tariff policy introduced by Washington last month. These tariffs have currently been suspended for 90 days to allow time for negotiations.
In response, Pakistan decided last month to send a high-level delegation to Washington to address the issue of US tariffs on Pakistan and to explore opportunities for strengthening bilateral trade ties.
The move followed a strategic meeting held in Islamabad on April 9, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, which focused on increasing exports and tackling the US’s recent trade measures.
The delegation will feature top business leaders and key exporters, signaling Pakistan’s aim to include stakeholders in forging a mutually beneficial resolution to the dispute over US tariffs on Pakistan.
President Trump also stated during his remarks that he would not be interested in making any trade deal with Pakistan or India if tensions escalated into war between the two neighbors.
His statement came a day after Pakistan formally launched negotiations with the US over reciprocal tariff terms, hoping to leverage Washington’s growing interest in enhancing trade relations with South Asia.