Pakistan-US trade deal expected in days: Dar

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has said that Pakistan and the United States are very close to finalizing a trade deal. Speaking at the Atlantic Council in Washington, Dar shared that the deal could be done in “days, not weeks.”

“I think we are very close to finalising a deal with the US. Our teams have been here in Washington, discussing, having virtual meetings, and a committee has been tasked by the prime minister to fine-tune now,” Dar said.

He added, “It’s not going to be months, not even weeks, I would say (just) days.”

Dar made these comments after meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Although it was a positive meeting, US officials did not give any deadline for the trade deal.

He said, “Ties between Pakistan and the US are getting better, and both sides have agreed to work on building a strong, long-term partnership.”

Dar also said both sides want to work together on trade, investment, technology, AI, and fighting terrorism. “We also discussed regional and global matters.”

He thanked the Donald Trump-led US administration for helping ease tensions between Pakistan and India. Dar said Pakistan remains committed to working closely at global platforms like the UN and also highlighted the need for dialogue in the Iran-Israel conflict.

On Pakistan’s economy, he stated, “Pakistan wants trade, not aid.” He said Pakistan is ready to give more access to American products and welcome US investors, especially in mining.

On Pakistan-India Relations and Terrorism

Speaking about India, Dar said both countries should stop blaming each other and build trust. On terrorism, he stated, “Pakistan is already taking action and doesn’t need to be told what to do.”

He added, “India hasn’t given any proof that Pakistan was involved in the Pahalgam attack,” and accused India of using such claims to shift focus from the real issue — Kashmir.

“India often uses terrorism to shift focus and avoid the real issue, the Kashmir dispute, which remains the main bone of contention between the two neighbours,” he said.

Dar recalled that during the May ceasefire talks, Rubio asked if Pakistan was ready. He replied, “We weren’t ready to start a war in the first place.”

Dar said the US has promised to help arrange talks between Pakistan and India at a neutral location. “Pakistan is ready to talk about everything, from Kashmir to terrorism, but made it clear that the talks have to be two-sided. Pakistan can’t sit down alone and expect results.”

“Pakistan wants no conflict with its neighbours,” he said. “We seek lasting peace in South Asia, built on trade and partnerships, not hostility.”

US-Pakistan Ties and Domestic Matters

On the US naming The Resistance Front (TRF) a terrorist group, Dar said Pakistan had no objection but disagreed with linking it to Lashkar-e-Taiba. “TRF has nothing to do with it,” he said.

Dar urged the US to move away from short-term ties and build a stable partnership with Pakistan. He also clarified that defence deals with China wouldn’t harm US ties — Pakistan would go with the better offer.

Dar faced some questions on internal politics. He revealed that former PM Imran Khan used to meet him often and that he even donated to Khan’s hospital.

He criticized Khan for the 2014 sit-in that hurt the economy and said he tried to mediate a “domestic ceasefire.” He called the May 9 violence “treason,” saying, “No one has the right to attack military installations. That’s not politics — that’s treason.”

On Dr Aafia Siddiqui and Extremism

About Dr Aafia Siddiqui’s case, Dar said he had no objection to her imprisonment if done lawfully. But he used the topic to stress that attacking Pakistan’s own military is also treason.

Dar praised Nawaz Sharif for fighting extremism and blamed the PTI government for reversing those gains. He said they let over 100 militants go and allowed “30,000 to 40,000 Taliban fighters” to re-enter Pakistan.

“That one cup of tea brought armed rebellion back to life in Pakistan,” he said.

Improving US-Pakistan Relations

Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised Pakistan’s sacrifices in the war on terror during his 40-minute meeting with Dar. The visit shows warming relations between the two countries, especially after US President Donald Trump recently welcomed Field Marshal Asim Munir at the White House.

Rubio acknowledged Pakistan’s key role in promoting global and regional peace.

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