ISLAMABAD: A top United States (US) official on Tuesday said they were eyeing “critical” minerals deals with Pakistan as he visited Islamabad to attend the two-day Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum.
Pakistan is showcasing its mineral resources, worth an estimated $6 trillion, at the two-day show in Islamabad on Apr. 8-9, seeking to attract investment from the US, China, Saudi Arabia and the European Union (EU).
Eric Meyer, a senior official of the US Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs who is currently leading a US interagency delegation to Pakistan, said he was thrilled to be in Islamabad to attend the minerals investment forum and to strengthen Pakistan-US partnership.
“I commend Pakistan for convening the Minerals Investment Forum here in Islamabad and for taking steps to ensure a level playing field for investors,” he said at the forum.
“Critical minerals are the raw materials for our most important technologies, and President [Donald] Trump has underscored the importance of securing America’s minerals future.”
Although Meyer has been visiting Islamabad to focus on minerals, he highlighted recent successes in economic partnership between the two countries.
“We recently celebrated the return of US soybean exports to Pakistan. Four vessels carrying more than 260,000 tons of soybeans have arrived over the last few weeks,” he said.
“It’s a win-win for US exporters and for Pakistanis alike, and we look forward to more such wins in the future.”
The US’s goods trade with Pakistan was at an estimated $7.3 billion in 2024, according to the US Trade Representative, a federal agency responsible for developing and promoting foreign trade policies.
US goods exports to Pakistan in 2024 were $2.1 billion, up 4.4 percent ($90.9 million) from 2023, while US goods imports from Pakistan totaled $5.1 billion in 2024, up 4.9 percent ($238.7 million) from 2023.
“What makes me most optimistic about the US-Pakistan partnership is that our cooperation is based on the close and enduring ties between our peoples,” Meyer said.
“Many of you have studied in the United States, participated in our exchange programs, have family, friends and business partners in the US. I’m looking forward to working with each of you as we work together to lead the charge in deepening the partnership between the US and Pakistan.”
Top US official eyes critical mineral deals during Pakistan visit
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Top US official eyes critical mineral deals during Pakistan visit
- Eric Meyer, a senior official of the US Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, said he was thrilled to attend the minerals investment forum in Islamabad
- Pakistan is showcasing its mineral resources, worth an estimated $6 trillion, at the two-day show in Islamabad on Apr. 8-9, seeking to attract foreign investment
Pakistan reports first wild polio case of 2026 despite vaccination campaigns
- Four-year-old girl infected in Sindh’s Sujawal district as virus persists in high-risk areas
- Pakistan conducted last nationwide campaign in January, vaccinating over 45 million children
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan reported its first wild poliovirus case of the year, health authorities said on Thursday, underscoring the persistence of the disease in high-risk areas despite ongoing vaccination campaigns.
The latest infection was confirmed in a four-year-old girl in Sujawal district of the southern Sindh province, according to the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health in Islamabad.
Polio is a highly contagious viral disease that can cause permanent paralysis, mainly in children under the age of five. Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan are the only two countries in the world where the disease remains endemic.
“The case was reported through the polio surveillance network and confirmed by the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health, Islamabad,” the statement said.
“The Polio Eradication Initiative is already analyzing the best response to tackle and prevent further transmission.”
In 2026, Pakistan conducted a nationwide polio campaign in January that vaccinated more than 45 million children, while the next national campaign is planned for April.
Since 1994, Pakistan has cut polio cases by 99.8 percent through vaccination efforts, reducing infections from an estimated 20,000 in the early 1990s to 31 in 2025.
Pakistan reported 31 polio cases in 2025. Southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa accounted for more than half of the country’s polio cases in 2025, with 17 of the 31 infections reported from the region.
According to health authorities, 74 cases were reported in 2024.
More than 200 polio workers and police officers assigned to protect polio teams have been killed in Pakistan since the 1990s, according to health and security officials.
Militants often falsely claim the vaccination campaigns are part of a Western plot to sterilize Muslim children.
The vaccination campaigns are also undermined by parental refusals in remote regions.
