Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Friday that the country is “very close” to finalising a trade agreement with the United States, possibly within days. Speaking at the Atlantic Council in Washington, Dar explained that both sides have been in constant discussions and virtual meetings. A committee appointed by the Pakistani prime minister is now working to refine the final stages.
Pakistan and U.S. Trade Is In The Works
“It’s not going to be months, not even weeks, I would say just days,” Dar said confidently. Despite this optimism, the U.S. side has not committed to a timeline. Following Dar’s meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, statements from both the U.S. State Department and Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry emphasised the intention to deepen trade ties, particularly in critical minerals and mining. However, they did not refer to any deal being finalised soon.
On his X, the secretary of state shared a picture of himself with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar. Talking about his discussion, he said that their meeting was focused towards aimed at expanding bilateral trade and enhancing collaboration.
Met with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister @MIshaqDar50 today to discuss expanding bilateral trade and enhancing collaboration in the critical minerals sector. I also thanked him for Pakistan’s partnership in countering terrorism and preserving regional… pic.twitter.com/QZB9RZwIA8
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) July 25, 2025
Islamabad Credits U.S. Role in India-Pakistan Ceasefire, But India Rejects Claim
The Pakistani foreign ministry went a step further in its statement, crediting former U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary Rubio for playing a “pivotal role” in helping reduce tensions between Pakistan and India by facilitating a ceasefire. The U.S. State Department’s version of events, however, did not mention India or the ceasefire.
Trump has repeatedly taken credit for the ceasefire announced on May 10, following three days of cross-border violence between India and Pakistan. This conflict began after a terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22 that killed 26 people. India responded with strikes on May 7, and hostilities continued until the ceasefire.
India maintains that all bilateral issues with Pakistan must be resolved without outside involvement and has dismissed Trump’s claims. Pakistan, meanwhile, denied responsibility for the April 22 attack and called for an independent investigation. While Washington condemned the attack, it stopped short of blaming Pakistan.
