‘Balanced’, ‘forward-looking’: Pakistan hails 19% tariffs below U.S. commerce deal

Pakistan on Friday (August 1, 2025) introduced that the U.S. has imposed a 19% tariff on its exports and termed the step as a “balanced and forward-looking” transfer that enhances the nation’s competitiveness within the American market.

The new charge is down from the earlier 29% tariff introduced by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Welcoming the “successful conclusion” of the tariff-related discussions with the U.S., the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a press release stated, “As per the result of those talks, a tariff of 19% will likely be relevant for Pakistani exports to the U.S. market.” The determination mirrored a “balanced and forward-looking method by the U.S. authorities, maintaining Pakistan aggressive relative to different South and Southeast Asian nations”, it stated.

The Ministry stated the revised tariff stage is predicted to help Pakistan’s export potential, particularly in key sectors akin to textiles, “which stay the spine of the nation’s export financial system”.

Pakistan’s exports to the U.S. rose by 11.06% to $5.552 billion from $4.999 billion within the first 11 months of the final fiscal.

The Ministry stated the present tariff offered a “vital alternative to develop Pakistan’s footprint within the U.S. market”.

“It is now important for Pakistani exporters and commerce our bodies to undertake an aggressive and targeted advertising and marketing technique to capitalise on this growth,” it stated.

The assertion additionally identified a considerable potential for development in different sectors.

“The Government of Pakistan appears to be like ahead to additional optimistic engagements and shut cooperation with the United States within the areas of funding, synthetic intelligence, crypto foreign money, mines and minerals, vitality, and different rising sectors,” it stated.

The Ministry stated Pakistan will proceed to have interaction carefully with Mr. Trump and the U.S. administration to advertise the shared targets of financial growth and mutual prosperity.

The revised tariff for Pakistan got here after the U.S. and Islamabad finalised a commerce deal in Washington on Wednesday.

In a social media publish on Wednesday, the U.S. President stated, “We have simply concluded a take care of the nation of Pakistan, whereby Pakistan and the United States will work collectively on growing their huge oil reserves.” However, it was not instantly clear what huge oil reserves in Pakistan Mr. Trump was referring to.

Meanwhile, Khurram Schehzad, Adviser to Pakistan’s Finance Minister, in a social media publish stated, “Pakistan is probably the one nation which the U.S. has provided its investments as effectively, moreover a aggressive commerce deal.” The “deal indicators a strategic deepening of financial ties and shared development”, he stated.

Pakistan has lengthy claimed to have massive oil deposits alongside its coast, however no progress has been made to faucet these deposits. It has been attempting to lure in investments to faucet into these reserves.

The nation at present imports oil from West Asia to satisfy its vitality calls for.

Mr. Trump on Thursday signed an govt order that raised tariffs for over 5 dozen nations with Washington’s negotiations for commerce offers went all the way down to the wire forward of the August 1 deadline.

The tariffs within the listing vary from 10% to 40%, with Japan being charged 15%, Laos and Myanmar (40% every), Sri Lanka (20%) and the United Kingdom (10%).