Pakistan to send high-level delegation to US for tariff, trade talks

The government is set to send a high-level delegation to the United States to promote trade relations and discuss a 29 per cent tariff that has been imposed on goods the US imports from Pakistan, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said on Wednesday.

As the US imposed heavy levies on dozens of allies and rivals alike on April 2, Pakistan was hit by a 29pc tariff on goods it exports to the US, which economists say could bring immediate hurdles but also long-term opportunities.

According to a press release issued by the PMO, the decision to send a delegation was made during a meeting chaired by PM Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad today to discuss the trade tariff imposed by the US.

“On the directives of the prime minister, the delegation will also include renowned business persons and exporters,” the statement said, without specifying which government officials would be part of the team.

“The delegation has been tasked by the prime minister to work out a mutually beneficial course of action for the future after negotiations on the new tariffs imposed by the US on imports,” the PMO said.

“Trade relations between Pakistan and America span decades,” PM Shehbaz was quoted as saying in the statement.

“The government is keen to further strengthen trade partnership with the US,” the premier added.

During the meeting, the prime minister was presented with a report by the Steering Committee and Working Group on the tariff imposed by the US and the proposed future course of action, the PMO statement said.

Various alternative courses of action were also presented during the meeting.

The meeting was told that Pakistan’s Embassy in the US was in “constant” contact with the Trump administration.