ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has said that Islamabad is “very focused” on enhancing its trade and investment relations with the US under the President Donald Trump administration.
Pakistan and the US have attempted to improve bilateral ties under Trump’s second term as president, following years of uneven engagement. Since mid-2025, the two sides have stepped up diplomatic contacts, including meetings between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan’s military leadership and US officials, including Trump. Both sides have also focused on expanding cooperation in critical minerals, cryptocurrency, security, regional stability and oil and gas sectors.
Aurangzeb, who participated in a high-level discussion titled: “Pakistan’s Path to Reform and Resilience” at the Atlantic Council during the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings 2026 in Washington, touched upon Islamabad’s increasing focus on trade and investment ties with the US.
“Certainly, with respect to the US, we are very focused both on trade and investment, and with all our partners from that perspective,” the Pakistani finance minister said.
“So, whether it’s oil and gas, minerals and mining, IT, pharma. Just pick some of the sectors which we think can be a real win-win position.”
Aurangzeb said in addition to his engagements with the IMF, World Bank and counterparts from other nations in Washington this week, he had had “very constructive” discussions with the US administration.
He pointed to his recent interaction with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, saying that talks were “very focused” on trade.
“So yes, with the Trump administration, you know, we are very focused on the trade and investment agenda,” he added.
In July 2025, Pakistan and the US agreed to a bilateral trade deal that included reciprocal tariff reductions and frameworks for US investment in Pakistan’s energy and mineral sectors.
Islamabad said the deal opened new avenues for economic collaboration between the two states.
