ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United States on Thursday held an inter-sessional meeting under the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) by discussing a broad range of areas to enhance the bilateral trade and investment relationship.

“The dialogue focused on good regulatory practices, digital trade, the protection of intellectual property, women’s economic empowerment, labour, textiles, investment, and agricultural issues, which included progress on access for US biotechnology products and beef,” said Acting US Mission Spokesperson Thomas Montgomery.

He said the officials from both countries discussed a broad range of areas to enhance the bilateral trade and investment relationship.

US raises taxation, other issues at TIFA talks

Coming on the heels of Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb’s visit to the United States, the acting spokesperson said that engagements like the TIFA are key to moving forward on our shared goals of deepening the economic bilateral relationship and furthering the prosperity of working people in both countries.

“The United States has long been Pakistan’s largest export market, with potential for further growth. In 2023, the United States imported $5 billion in Pakistani goods, while overall, US-Pakistan goods trade measured $7 billion,” Montgomery said.

He added that the United States has also been a leading investor in Pakistan for the past 20 years and more than 80 US companies currently operate in Pakistan, supplying high-quality goods to the Pakistani market and employing hundreds of thousands of Pakistanis.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024