ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United States have reaffirmed their commitment to concluding a proposed Reciprocal Trade Framework after both sides said negotiations had "advanced significantly" during a high-level virtual meeting between Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and US Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer.
According to a statement issued by Pakistan's finance ministry, Aurangzeb and Greer welcomed the steady progress made by their respective negotiating teams and reaffirmed their shared commitment to concluding the framework "at the earliest."
The virtual meeting follows two days of reciprocal trade negotiations held recently in Washington, where Pakistani officials said both sides had "ironed out differences and built convergence" toward the agreement's early conclusion.
The latest ministerial engagement builds on that momentum as Islamabad and Washington work to finalize the remaining elements of the proposed framework.
The negotiations also reflect the broader trajectory of Pakistan-US relations over the past year, with both countries increasingly placing economic cooperation at the center of their bilateral engagement.
Alongside reciprocal trade talks, the two sides have expanded business engagement through the SelectUSA Investment Summit, strengthened dialogue on critical minerals, and increased high-level interactions focused on trade, investment and commercial cooperation.
Aurangzeb, the finance ministry said, stressed the importance of maintaining momentum in the negotiations in line with Pakistan's economic priorities.
According to the statement, the finance minister said a strengthened trade and investment partnership with the United States would contribute to Pakistan's export-led growth strategy, support economic resilience and create greater commercial opportunities for businesses in both countries.
Aurangzeb also underscored the importance of continued collaboration with the US Export-Import Bank (EXIM) to facilitate bilateral trade and investment.
The ministry said the finance minister recalled the recent discussions in Washington and appreciated the constructive engagement between Pakistani and American negotiating teams throughout the process.
According to the statement, Greer acknowledged Pakistan's continued engagement in the negotiations and welcomed progress on labor and regulatory reforms, including measures relating to compliance with forced labor standards.
The US trade representative also reaffirmed Washington's commitment to sustaining the positive trajectory of bilateral trade discussions and expressed confidence that the remaining issues could be resolved through continued technical-level engagement, the ministry said.
Both sides expressed satisfaction with the progress achieved and agreed to maintain close coordination while accelerating technical-level discussions to finalize the remaining elements of the framework.
Pakistan and the United States, according to the statement, also agreed to continue regular engagement with a view to concluding the Reciprocal Trade Framework soon, further strengthening the longstanding economic partnership between the two countries.
The virtual meeting was attended by Commerce Secretary Jawad Paul and senior officials from the Office of the United States Trade Representative.
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