INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday about tariffs, trade relations,
immigration and prospects for engagement on critical minerals, the State Department, and Pakistan&s foreign ministry, said in separate
statements.
President Donald Trump said last week that he would impose a 10% baseline tariff on all imports to the United States and higher
duties on dozens of other countries, including some of Washington&s biggest trading partners, rattling global markets and bewildering United
The Trump administration imposed a 29% tariff on Pakistan, Reuters reported.
&They (Rubio and Dar) discussed United States reciprocal
tariffs on Pakistan and how to make progress toward a fair and balanced trade relationship,& the State Department said.
The United States
goods trade deficit with Pakistan was $3 billion in 2024, a 5.2 % increase over 2023, according to the Office of the United States Trade
Representative.
&The Secretary raised prospects for engagement on critical minerals and expressed interest in expanding commercial
opportunities for United States companies.&
Pakistan&s foreign ministry said Rubio &reciprocated the desire to collaborate with Pakistan
in trade and investment in various sectors, especially critical minerals.&
The Trump administration has also used prospects of engagement
over critical minerals with other countries.
For example, it is attempting to strike an agreement over critical minerals with Ukraine as
part of talks related to the Russia-Ukraine war
Washington has also said it is open to exploring critical minerals partnerships with Congo and help end a conflict raging in the African
country&s east.
In the call with Dar, Rubio emphasized the importance of Pakistan&s cooperation with the United States on law enforcement
and addressing illegal immigration, the State Department said.
Last month, Pakistan highlighted its cooperation with Washington on
countering extremism after the arrest of Mohammad Sharifullah, whom the United States blames for a 2021 attack on its troops at Kabul
airport, in a military operation along the border with Afghanistan, read the report.
The Pakistan foreign ministry said Rubio and Dar
discussed the situation in Afghanistan.
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