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
https://arab.news/2xe9f
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
Government hails joining Gaza peace board as ‘diplomatic success’ amid opposition criticism
- Ahsan Iqbal says Pakistan took the decision after consulting other Muslim nations
- Opposition objects to joining Trump-chaired forum without parliamentary consensus
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday described its decision to join a newly formed international body aimed at supporting peace efforts in Gaza as a “diplomatic success,” dismissing opposition criticism that the move was taken without parliamentary consensus.
The Gaza Board of Peace brings together participating states and international stakeholders seeking to support dialogue, stability and peace-related initiatives linked to the conflict in the Palestinian enclave.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed the forum’s charter a day earlier on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos.
Opposition lawmakers objected to the decision in parliament, saying the government joined the initiative without taking them into confidence or disclosing its terms.
“If Pakistan had not gone to the Board of Peace today, these honorable members would have been making the same forceful speeches that Pakistan has been isolated, that no one is engaging with Pakistan and asking why Pakistan was not included in such a major peace initiative,” Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal said in a parliamentary address.
“If Pakistan has been given center stage today, enabling us to contribute to peace in Palestine and Gaza alongside our brotherly Islamic countries, then this is a major diplomatic success for Pakistan, one that we should welcome rather than standing aside,” he added.
Iqbal said Islamabad had taken the decision after consulting other Muslim nations and described the forum as part of an international initiative aimed at ending bloodshed in Gaza.
He added that the initiative had been welcomed by Palestinians, even as Pakistan’s decision to pursue it with other nations faced criticism at home.
Representatives of 19 countries signed the charter on Thursday alongside US President Donald Trump, who addressed the gathering but offered few details about the body’s mandate, how it would operate or how it might pursue conflict resolution efforts.
Pakistan and seven other Muslim countries said in a joint statement on Wednesday that they had accepted Trump’s invitation to join the board, expressing hope that it could contribute to a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
Chaired by Trump, the board is expected to include US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, former British prime minister Tony Blair and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Israel announced on Wednesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would also be a member of the board.
