ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday held a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, with both sides expressing a commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation across trade, investment, and counterterrorism, the Foreign Office said in a statement.
The Foreign Office said Dar reiterated Pakistan’s desire to further strengthen its long-standing partnership with the United States.
He emphasised the importance of strengthening cooperation in areas such as trade, investment and counter-terrorism, the Foreign Office statement read.
Rubio, who recently assumed office as Secretary of State, responded positively, expressing Washington’s intent to expand trade and investment ties with Pakistan, particularly in emerging sectors like critical minerals.
He said that cooperation in economy and trade would be the hallmark of future relations between the two countries, the statement added.
Counterterrorism and regional security
The two leaders also reviewed the regional security situation, particularly developments in Afghanistan.
Dar shared Pakistan’s past efforts in combatting terrorism, particularly during the period from 2013 to 2018, and reaffirmed Islamabad’s continued commitment to international counterterrorism goals.
Rubio appreciated Pakistan’s role in the fight against terrorism and conveyed the United States’ interest in expanding counterterrorism collaboration.
The officials also discussed issues surrounding US military equipment left behind in Afghanistan following the American withdrawal in 2021. Both sides agreed on the need to resolve the matter through diplomatic engagement.
Dar and Rubio agreed to remain in close contact and to work together to advance the shared interests of both countries, the statement concluded.
US tariffs on Pakistan
The conversation comes amid economic concerns following the imposition of new tariffs by US President Donald Trump, who recently announced a 10 per cent tariff on all imports into the United States, including those from Pakistan.
For Pakistani exports, however, the tariff rate is significantly higher, with a 29 per cent duty now in place. Pakistan charges the US 58 percent.
The shift has raised alarm within Pakistan’s export sector, particularly given that the United States remains Pakistan’s largest single export destination, accounting for nearly a fifth of its total outbound trade.
In response to the new tariffs, Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Saturday that the government intends to send a high-level delegation to Washington to explore avenues for engagement and negotiation under the evolving trade framework.
“You should never let a good crisis go to waste. We are looking at it both as a challenge as well as an opportunity,” Aurangzeb told reporters at a press conference in Islamabad.
