WASHINGTON – In a significant development for bilateral trade, U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that Pakistan will face a reduced tariff rate of 19% on its exports to the United States, down from the previously proposed 29%.
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Pakistan, U.S. finalize landmark trade agreement
Washington, D.C., July 31, 2025 – Pakistan and the United States have finalized a comprehensive trade agreement aimed at deepening bilateral relations, expanding market access, and stimulating foreign investment across key sectors.
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Pakistan, US join hands to explore massive oil reserves: Trump
Washington, July 30, 2025 — In a surprising announcement, U.S. President Donald Trump revealed that Pakistan and the United States have entered into a joint agreement to explore and develop the South Asian country’s substantial oil reserves.
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Los Angeles Firestorm Devastates Thousands of Homes
Los Angeles, January 10, 2025 – A series of wildfires has caused unprecedented destruction across Los Angeles County, leaving thousands of homes damaged or destroyed and forcing mass evacuations. Officials are still assessing the full extent of the devastation, but initial reports paint a grim picture of the disaster’s scale.
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Norovirus Outbreak: Doctors Advise on Symptoms, Prevention
As a severe outbreak of norovirus spreads across the United States, health experts are emphasizing awareness and preventive measures. Often called the “stomach flu,” this highly contagious illness has reached its highest levels for this season in over a decade, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
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US Court Lifts BOI Reporting Injunction, Sets New Deadline
The United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has lifted the injunction imposed by a Texas District Court, setting January 13, 2025, as the new deadline for the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) reporting. This report, established under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) signed into law on January 1, 2021, affects a broad range of corporate and business entities.
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Donald Blome visits Karachi to support US-Pakistan trade ties
KARACHI: The U.S. Ambassador Donald Blome visited Karachi on Saturday to support the US-Pakistan trade ties and further strengthen the economic partnership and bilateral trade.
During the visit, U.S. Ambassador met with the Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, the Chief Ministers of Balochistan and Sindh, the Administrator of Karachi, the Commander of Pakistan Navy Pakistan Fleet (COMPAK), government officials, financial and business leaders, trade and energy executives, and other business and commercial representatives.
Donald Blome said that, “I am glad to be back in Karachi, a financial and commercial hub with tremendous energy.”
He added that, “this year marks the 75th anniversary of U.S.-Pakistan bilateral relations and I look forward to strengthening U.S.-Pakistan partnerships in trade, investment, clean energy, health, security, education, and other mutually beneficial priority areas.”
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Ambassador Blome visited Port Qasim and met with Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Faisal Subzwari. The Ambassador expressed interest in how the United States can work with Pakistan to develop more linkages with U.S. port and maritime institutions.
In the Ambassador’s meetings with Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, he discussed political, economic, and security matters, as well as the ongoing relief efforts to address the tragic impact of the recent floods in both provinces.
In his meeting with Sindh Chief Minister Shah, Ambassador Blome announced the United States is providing a new $1 million grant to build the resilience of agricultural communities in Sindh Province, and support Pakistan’s disaster management authorities in Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Gilgit-Baltistan provinces, to better respond to future disasters.
Ambassador Blome and Karachi Administrator Murtaza Wahab discussed the impact of flooding and other challenges in the city, as well as opportunities for growth including in the information technology sector.
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During the Ambassador’s meeting with COMPAK Vice Admiral Ovais Bilgrami, he further discussed relief efforts in flood-stricken areas and affirmed the importance of the U.S.-Pakistan military relationship and the desire to strengthen and expand our ongoing security cooperation.
Ambassador Blome met with CEO of Cargill Pakistan Imran Nasrullah. The Ambassador also toured Excelerate’s floating storage and regasification unit at Port Qasim to emphasize our mutual interest in seeing Engro and Excelerate’s LNG joint venture succeed in Pakistan.
He met other U.S and Pakistani business leaders to show his commitment to promoting U.S. business and investment in Pakistan through a wide range of effective services, products, and programs.
The U.S. government is dedicated to expanding the ties between the Pakistani and American people to promote a more stable, secure, and prosperous future for both our nations. Bilateral trade reached nearly $9 billion in 2021.
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The United States is Pakistan’s largest single country export market and one of the largest sources of foreign investment, with U.S. direct investment growing by 50 percent in the past year.
U.S. companies and their local affiliates are among Pakistan’s largest employers, with roughly 80 U.S. companies directly employing more than 125,000 Pakistanis, and more than one million Pakistanis employed indirectly. In 2021, U.S. firms invested up to $5.7 million in corporate social responsibility initiatives in Pakistan.
One of the highlights of Ambassador Blome’s time in Karachi was a visit to the Lincoln Corner Karachi at Liaquat Memorial Library where he inaugurated the StartUp Lab! along with Minister of Sindh for Education, Culture, Tourism, Antiquities and Archives, Syed Sardar Ali Shah.
“The StartUp Lab! is unique and a one-of-a-kind space in Pakistan where aspiring entrepreneurs with an idea for a startup business can turn ideas into reality using the latest technology and equipment for free,” noted Ambassador Blome.
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Ambassador Blome said, “The people-to-people ties between the United States and Pakistan are among our greatest strengths. We are proud to partner with the Culture Department of Sindh to ensure young Pakistanis are prepared to face 21st century challenges.”
The Lincoln Corner Karachi is one of 18 in the U.S. Mission to Pakistan’s network of American Spaces nationwide that offer free educational and cultural programs, as well as technology and information resources, to young Pakistani leaders.
Ambassador Blome also visited Frere Hall in Karachi to appreciate its architecture and murals. There, he was given a tour by representatives of NGO Sindh Exploration and Adventure Society (SEAS), Dr. Asma Ibrahim and Dr. Kaleemullah Lashari.
SEAS received in 2021 a grant from the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) to renovate portions of Frere Hall. This AFCP project further demonstrates our respect for Pakistan’s rich cultural heritage.
In celebration of Pakistan’s National Minority Day, the Ambassador was honored to meet religious minority community leaders in Karachi to promote interfaith cooperation, religious tolerance, and diversity.
He also visited the Mausoleum of the founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and laid a wreath in honor of the founding father of Pakistan, ahead of Pakistan’s 75th Independence Day.
Ambassador Blome said that, “It is a great honor to be here at the Mazar-e-Quaid to pay my respects and commemorate the legacy of Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The United States shares Quaid-e-Azam’s vision of a unified Pakistan, at peace with itself and its neighbors, a Pakistan of religious tolerance, economic prosperity, and social inclusion.”
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US approaches WTO against India’s additional duty measures
ISLAMABAD: The United States has approached the World Trade Organization (WTO) for dispute consultations regarding additional duties imposed by India on various imported goods from the US.
A statement issued by the WTO said that the US had requested WTO dispute consultations with India concerning additional duties applied by India on certain imports of US goods.
The request was circulated to WTO members on July 04.
The United States claims that the additional duties, which India imposed through a series of notifications issued between June 2018 and June 2019, are inconsistent with provisions of the WTO’s General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT 1994) by unfairly discriminating against US imports vis-à-vis those from other WTO members and by according less favourable treatment to US goods than that provided for in India’s schedule of concessions.
The US authorities a day earlier submitted a request to the WTO for consultation with India with respect to India’s imposition of additional duties with respect to certain products originating in the United States.
“India does not impose the additional duties measure on like products originating in the territory of any other WTO Member,” according to the US.
India also appears to be applying rates of duty to US imports greater than the rates of duty set out in India’s schedule of concessions.
The US submitted the legal instruments through which India imposes the additional duties measure include the following:
Government of India, Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue, Notification No. 48/2018 – Customs, June 20, 2018;
Government of India, Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue, Notification No. 49/2018 – Customs, June 20, 2018;
Government of India, Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue, Notification No. 56/2018 – Customs, August 3, 2018;
Government of India, Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue, Notification No. 62/2018 – Customs, September 17, 2018;
Government of India, Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue, Notification No. 77/2018 – Customs, November 1, 2018;
Government of India, Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue, Notification No. 80/2018 – Customs, December 15, 2018;
Government of India, Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue, Notification No. 03/2019 – Customs, January 29, 2019;
Government of India, Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue, Notification No. 06/2019 – Customs, February 26, 2019;
Government of India, Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue, Notification No. 11/2019 – Customs, March 29, 2019;
Government of India, Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue, Notification No. 14/2019 – Customs, May 1, 2019;
Government of India, Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue, Notification No. 15/2019 – Customs, May 14, 2019;
Government of India, Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue, Notification No. 16/2019 – Customs, June 15, 2019;
Government of India, Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue, Notification No. 17/2019 – Customs, June 15, 2019;
as well as any amendments, replacements, related measures or implementing measures.
The additional duties measure appears to be inconsistent with: Article I:1 of the GATT 1994, because India fails to extend to products of the United States an advantage, favor, privilege or immunity granted by India with respect to customs duties and charges of any kind imposed on or in connection with the importation of products originating in the territory of other Members, and Article II:1(a) and (b) of the GATT 1994, because India accords less favorable treatment to products originating in the United States than that provided for in India’s schedule of concessions.
The additional duties measure appears to nullify or impair the benefits accruing to the United States directly or indirectly under the GATT 1994.