Federal Secretary terms Pak, US as largest trading partners

ISLAMABAD: Federal Trade Secretary Zafar Mahmood has termed US as the largest trading partner for Pakistan in the current economic dimension of bilateral relationship.

Talking to VOA , he said while heading Pak-US delegation at Pak-US recent talks that both the countries's bilateral trade had doubled over the last ten years to reach US $5.30 billion.

Pakistan's export to the United States increased by seventeen per cent to reach US $3.175 billion till 30th April, 2011 in the last financial year."

The Head of the US delegation Sir Michael at the talks said, "United States and Pakistan have almost in many ways, but in the trade and investment arena, our relationship is a special one."

Commenting on these remarks, Dr Zubair Khan said, "In my opinion, Pakistan's export to the United States has doubled but not with a big margin if seen on the international level.

The United States has not given any concession to Pakistan. United States was supposed to extend concessions for setting up factories in the tribal areas but it was basically a useless programme because no one can take risk to invest in the war torn areas.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011