ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar discussed bilateral relations and tariffs with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio this week, the Pakistani foreign office said in a statement, as Islamabad gears up for its “final” round of trade talks with Washington. 

Pakistan and the US have been engaged in talks after Washington announced a 29 percent “reciprocal tariff” on Pakistani exports in April. Islamabad said the move, paused on April 9 for a 90-day period, may undercut its fragile, export-led recovery. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb left for the US on Monday to hold a “final” round of talks with Washington, the Pakistani finance ministry said a day earlier. 

Dar spoke to Rubio over the telephone on Monday, the Pakistani foreign ministry said. The Pakistani deputy premier met the US official in Washington last Friday in a face-to-face meeting, during which Rubio recognized Pakistan’s role for peace in the region. Dar had pointed out that this was the first time in nine years that the foreign ministers of the US and Pakistan had met each other.

“Following up on their productive meeting last Friday in Washington D.C., they discussed key bilateral matters, including tariffs, as well as regional & global issues of mutual interest,” the foreign ministry said about Dar’s telephone call with Rubio. 

Pakistan sees the tariffs issue as an important one, considering the US is Islamabad’s key trading partner. The US is Pakistan’s top export destination, with shipments totaling $5.44 billion in fiscal year 2023-2024, according to official data. From July 2024 to February 2025, exports rose 10 percent from a year earlier.

Aurangzeb’s visit to the US to discuss trade and tariffs is his second to the country this month. The finance minister last week said Islamabad and Washington were exploring a shift in their economic engagement, anchored in long-term investment.

Pakistan’s government has pushed for trade and economic ties with regional countries and traditional allies in recent months. The main motivation behind Islamabad’s decision to pursue foreign investment and economic ties is a prolonged macroeconomic crisis that has drained Pakistan’s resources. 

While the South Asian country has made certain economic gains over the past two years, which includes a reduced inflation rate, Pakistan hopes to achieve a sustained economic growth driven by exports and long-term financial reforms.