Pakistani representatives visiting US next week for trade talks, says President Trump

Washington (Web Desk): President of the United States (US) Donald Trump has stated that representatives from Pakistan will be arriving in America next week as the South Asian nation seeks to finalise a trade agreement amid mounting tariff pressures.

This development follows Washington’s recent imposition of a 29% tariff on Pakistani exports, citing a $3 billion trade surplus that has prompted the US to reevaluate trade dynamics with several countries.

Speaking to journalists, Trump highlighted that Pakistan’s efforts to reach a deal are advancing, and negotiations are already underway.

He added that the US is nearing an agreement with India as well, but warned that escalating tensions between India and Pakistan could jeopardize progress on both fronts.

“I wouldn’t be interested in deals with either if they were going to be at war with each other,” Trump remarked, referring to recent military flare-ups between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

The early stages of trade talks were confirmed by an advisor to Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, who revealed on X (formerly Twitter) that discussions had begun with US Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer via a phone call on Thursday.

According to sources familiar with the matter, Islamabad is proposing a bilateral trade agreement that would eliminate tariffs on a selected range of goods in sectors where both countries share strategic interests.

The proposal is part of Pakistan’s broader effort to expand its trade relationship with the United States, especially as Washington shows growing interest in South Asian markets.

The timing of the negotiations follows a ceasefire deal reportedly brokered by President Trump himself after military exchanges between India and Pakistan raised fears of a larger conflict.

Trump claimed his intervention helped prevent what he described as a potentially catastrophic war that “could have killed millions of people.”

As part of its diplomatic push, Pakistan is also dispatching a senior political delegation to New York on June 2. The group will be led by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman and former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and will include prominent figures such as PPP Senator Sherry Rehman, Federal Minister Musadik Malik, senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khurram Dastgir Khan, former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar, and former foreign secretaries Jalil Abbas Jilani and Tehmina Janjua.

During their two-day visit, the delegation is expected to hold meetings with United Nations (UN) officials and engage with international media outlets to present Pakistan’s perspective on the recent military tensions with India, particularly in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack.