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WASHINGTON: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb will be in the US next week for meetings with the IMF and World Bank, a visit that has taken on added urgency amid concerns of a looming trade crisis following the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.
The minister is scheduled to arrive in Washington on April 21 to attend the 2025 Spring Meetings of the IMF and World Bank.
Diplomatic sources suggest the finance minister may use the visit to engage with US officials over the proposed 29 per cent tariff, imposed by the Trump administration on Pakistani goods.
Pakistan is among 75 countries that have agreed to hold direct talks with the US on the issue of steep tariffs.
Delegation to hold tariff negotiations may follow suit
The Spring Meetings, scheduled for April 21–26, will bring together finance ministers, central bankers, and development experts from around the world.
Mr Aurangzeb is also expected to hold consultations with the IMF and other international financial institutions on the implications of these tariffs.
Institutions like the IMF, which play a key role in shaping Pakistan’s economic reform agenda, are expected to guide Islamabad on how to manage
the expected fallout of these tariffs while continuing its recovery from recent financial shocks.
Islamabad’s concern stemmed from US President Donald Trump’s recent announcement of a sweeping new tariff regime aimed at correcting global trade imbalances.
Although the proposed tariffs have been suspended for 90 days, they still threaten Pakistan’s largest export market.
Mr Aurangzeb’s trip is likely to be followed by a visit by a Pakistani trade delegation for formal talks with US officials on the proposed tariffs.
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s office confirmed that a delegation would travel to Washington to engage in tariff talks.
The delegation will be led by Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan.
Officials say the delegation will re-calibrate its negotiating position based on Mr Aurangzeb’s consultations in Washington.
“The finance minister’s meetings will help Islamabad understand how other countries are reacting to the US tariff proposal,” a diplomatic source told Dawn.
“It will also allow Pakistan to prepare a more informed response before formal trade negotiations begin.”
Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2025
