KARACHI: United States President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday the imposition of reciprocal tariffs on several countries, including a 29% tariff on Pakistani products, a move widely seen as a jolt to the global economy still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The decision came after Trump defended the measures as necessary to address long-standing trade imbalances and what he described as unfair treatment of American goods abroad.
The US leader has called for realigning trade with both allies and competitors since taking office, arguing that high tariffs imposed by partner countries have effectively subsidized their economies at America’s expense.
According to a list of tariffs shared by Reuters, Trump has imposed a 29% tariff on Pakistan.
“Pakistan has been charging us a 58% tariff on our goods,” he was quoted as saying by Geo TV. “Hence, we are imposing a 29% tariff on their products.”
The US remains one of Pakistan’s largest trading partners.
According to the Office of the United States Trade Representative, total goods trade between the US and Pakistan was estimated at $7.3 billion in 2024. US exports to Pakistan reached $2.1 billion, marking a 4.4% increase from the previous year, while imports from Pakistan totaled $5.1 billion, up 4.9% compared to 2023.
Alongside Pakistan, the US has also slapped a 26% reciprocal tariff on India, in a blow to New Delhi’s expectations of tariff relief.
“In many cases, the friend is worse than the foe in terms of trade,” Reuters quoted Trump as saying during the announcement. “We subsidize a lot of countries and keep them going and keep them in business. Why are we doing this? I mean, at what point do we say you got to work for yourselves.”
“We are finally putting America first,” he added, calling trade deficits “a national emergency.”
Trump held up boards displaying the new tariff rates, ranging from 10% to 49% for most countries. He said that in most cases, the US was imposing about half the tariff rates that other countries charge, though in some instances the rates were matched exactly.
With input from Reuters
Trump targets Pakistan with 29 percent tariff as part of new trade policy
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Trump targets Pakistan with 29 percent tariff as part of new trade policy
- US is a key market for Pakistani exports, with bilateral trade estimated at $7.3 billion in 2024
- US has also slapped a 26% reciprocal tariff on India, dashing New Delhi’s hopes of tariff relief
Pakistan army hits Afghan Taliban drone storage facility, ammunition depot in Jalalabad
- Around 435 Afghan Taliban fighters killed, over 630 injured in Pakistani military offensive, minister says
- Several countries, global bodies have urged both sides to exercise restraint since the conflict began last week
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s army struck a drone storage facility and ammunition depot of Afghan Taliban in Jalalabad, a Pakistani security official said on Monday, following Pakistani strikes on more than 50 locations in Afghanistan amid ongoing hostilities between the neighbors.
Pakistan launched Operation ‘Ghazb lil Haq’ against Afghanistan on the night of Feb. 26 following an attack by Afghanistan on Pakistani military installations along their shared border.
The worst fighting between the two neighbors in years erupted after Pakistani airstrikes targeted what Islamabad called militant hideouts inside Afghanistan on Feb. 21-22, accusing Kabul of harboring Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants behind the attacks on its soil. Afghanistan denies the charge.
A Pakistani security official, who requested anonymity, said the army was continuing “strong retaliatory action” against the Afghan Taliban and blew up multiple border posts, forcing them to abandon their positions.
“Pakistan forces are effectively targeting the bases and military installations of the Fitna Al-Khawarij and the Afghan Taliban,” he said.
“During the effective counter-operation of the Pakistani forces, the ammunition depot and drone storage site of Fitna Al-Khawarij (TTP) and the Afghan Taliban in Jalalabad was destroyed.”
Separately, Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said more than 400 Afghan Taliban fighters had been killed and over 630 wounded in the Pakistani military offensive so far.
Pakistan destroyed around 188 check posts and captured 31, according to a post on X by Tarar. Over 180 tanks, armored vehicles and artillery guns were also destroyed in Pakistani air raids at 51 locations across Afghanistan.
On Sunday, Pakistani state media shared a video of what it said were Pakistani soldiers crossing into Afghanistan in the northwest to capture an Afghan post. Pakistan has seized a 32-square-kilometer area of Afghanistan, another Pakistani security official said.
Afghan officials earlier said that dozens of Pakistani soldiers had been killed and several Pakistan posts had been captured by their forces. None of the casualty figures or battlefield claims from either side could be independently verified.
Since the conflict began last week, diplomatic efforts have intensified, with several countries and international bodies calling on both sides to exercise restraint.
The United Nations, along with China and Russia, has called for calm, while US President Donald Trump said Pakistan has the right to defend itself against cross-border militancy.
