WASHINGTON: Finance Minister, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, announced the successful conclusion of negotiations with the US administration, culminating in a tariff deal aimed at strengthening bilateral trade and economic cooperation.
During meetings with senior US Treasury officials, including Mr. Robert Kaproth, Assistant Secretary for International Finance, and Counselor Jonathan Greenstein, Senator Aurangzeb highlighted Pakistan’s robust macroeconomic fundamentals supported by the ongoing IMF programme.
He provided an update on legislation to regulate virtual assets and invited US companies to explore investment opportunities in Pakistan’s oil & gas, mineral, agriculture, and IT sectors.
Later, the Finance Minister addressed members of the US-Pakistan Business Council, briefing participants on improvements in Pakistan’s macroeconomic indicators and emphasizing the pivotal role of the private sector in driving the country’s growth.
He assured the business community of government support, highlighted the trade deal negotiated with the US, and expressed optimism about enhanced government-to-government (G2G) and business-to-business (B2B) engagement in priority sectors, including mines & minerals, agriculture, IT, and pharmaceuticals.
Senator Aurangzeb also met representatives of Citi Bank, acknowledging the bank’s long-standing partnership with Pakistan and highlighting the country’s stabilizing macroeconomic indicators, growing digital innovation, and expanding financial services sector. He assured Citi Bank that all proposals submitted would be reviewed thoroughly.
Earlier in the day, the Finance Minister met with Mr. Riccardo Puliti, Regional Vice President of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) for the Middle East, Central Asia, Türkiye, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
He praised IFC’s partnership with Pakistan, particularly its support for private sector investment through multi-billion-dollar projects under the 10-year Country Partnership Framework (CPF), and welcomed the IFC’s new regional office in Islamabad. Senator Aurangzeb also agreed to achieve early financial closure of the IFC’s flagship Reko Diq project.
The Finance Minister concluded his official engagements with a meeting with Dr. Muhammad Sulaiman Al-Jasser, President of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB).
He thanked the Bank for its longstanding support, reviewed the current portfolio of projects in Pakistan, and emphasized the need for faster project implementation. Both sides agreed on continued collaboration in polio eradication efforts, oil financing initiatives, and the development of a new Country Engagement Framework for Pakistan.
