{
  "id": 15707605,
  "title": "Pakistan, US make substantial progress on reciprocal trade deal",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/20/pakistan-us-make-substantial-progress-on-reciprocal-trade-deal",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-20T05:24:24.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Recorder",
    "slug": "business-recorder",
    "url": "https://www.brecorder.com/news/40445083/pakistan-us-make-substantial-progress-on-reciprocal-trade-deal"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "During a meeting focused on bolstering bilateral economic ties, Pakistan and the United States have made considerable strides in negotiating a reciprocal trade agreement, though a few technicalities remain unresolved, according to Pakistan's Commerce Secretary Jawad Paul. This development unfolded during a discussion between Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan and U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Natalie A. Baker, who explored avenues for enhancing market access and exploring new opportunities in sectors such as agriculture, minerals, technology, and investment.\n\nBoth nations reviewed the current status of ongoing negotiations and reaffirmed their commitment to reaching a mutually beneficial agreement. While highlighting that substantial progress has been made on key provisions, Secretary Jawad Paul noted that a handful of technical issues necessitate further discussion with the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR).\n\nFederal Minister Jam Kamal Khan emphasized Pakistan's longstanding economic partnership with the United States, pointing out that both countries possess immense potential to expand bilateral trade through increased market access, larger private-sector participation, and investments in emerging sectors. He underscored Pakistan's endeavors to diversify its export markets and fortify international commercial alliances amid prevailing regional and global economic hurdles.\n\nThe meeting delved into the prospects of enhanced market access for Pakistani agricultural commodities, notably mangoes and dates. Secretary Jawad Paul advocated for expediting the visit of relevant U.S. inspection teams for mango export arrangements and stressed the urgency of advancing the pending market access process for Pakistani dates. He emphasized that increased access to the U.S. market would open valuable export avenues, particularly for growers and businesses in Balochistan.\n\nThe U.S. delegation echoed these sentiments, expressing a readiness to follow up with the pertinent American authorities on these matters. Both sides also examined opportunities to bolster agricultural trade, specifically the import of U.S. cotton and soybeans. Secretary Jawad Paul stressed the significance of competitive pricing and trade financing to facilitate greater U.S. imports.\n\nDiscussions also encompassed potential financing arrangements and closer coordination with trade institutions and industry associations to reinforce bilateral agricultural commerce. Federal Minister Jam Kamal Khan underscored Pakistan's considerable potential in agriculture, food processing, livestock, and value-added production, urging American companies to investigate opportunities in modern agricultural machinery, food processing technologies, cold-chain infrastructure, and advanced farming methods. He also extended an invitation to American businesses and agricultural organizations to participate in FoodAg 2026, a trade exhibition set to be held in Karachi from November 23 to 26, as a crucial platform for connecting international buyers and investors with Pakistan's burgeoning agricultural and food-processing industries. The U.S. Chargé d’Affaires acknowledged Pakistan's initiatives to promote agricultural trade and expressed keen interest in facilitating greater collaboration between American agricultural technology firms and Pakistani businesses.",
  "summary": "Pakistan and the United States have made substantial progress on several provisions of a proposed reciprocal trade agreement. However, Pakistan’s Commerce Secretary Jawad Paul said on Tuesday that a few technical issues remain to be discussed with the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR). The development came during a meeting between Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan and United…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}