In a significant development aimed at strengthening trade ties with the United States, Pakistan has decided to send a high-level delegation to Washington to negotiate the recently imposed American tariffs on Pakistani imports.

The decision was made during a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to review the impact of the new US tariffs and explore ways to boost Pakistan’s exports.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Federal Ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Muhammad Aurangzeb, and Ali Pervaiz Malik, and senior officials including Special Assistants to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi and Haroon Akhtar, as well as business coordinators and trade advisors.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stressed that key business leaders and exporters would be included in the delegation. He instructed that the team meet with US authorities to develop a mutually rewarding strategy that could assist in safeguarding and strengthening Pakistan's export potential.

During the session, the Prime Minister was informed of the proposals of a special working group and steering committee, which had been examining the effects of the new tariffs. The committee also put forward several different strategies for Pakistan to navigate the changing trade environment.

The action follows recent US tariff increases, initiated under the previous President Donald Trump on April 3, that imposed up to 10% duties on a broad list of imported items, including those of allies and competitors. The tariffs, implemented to safeguard American business, have raised alarms about inflation and a recession in international trade.

Interestingly, America put a 29% duty on Pakistani exports, roughly half the rate charged by Pakistan to US imports, emphasizing the inequity of terms of trade. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif repeated that Pakistan greatly values its age-old trade relation with the US and is interested in further fortifying it with talks and cooperation.