Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri met with US Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez on Wednesday and discussed the critical role, and urged that the commerce and trade could enhance the US-Pakistan relationship.
Khurshid Kasuri spoke of the tremendous potential that exists for further bolstering of bilateral commerce, and said the greater access for Pakistani products in the robust US market would further increase the volume of Pakistan's exports and help the country achieve and sustain higher economic growth. Pakistan triggered twice of its exports to the world in the last six years. The foreign minister is in Washington in continuation of high-level contacts between the United States and Pakistan to further reinforcement of their wide-ranging relationship.
The Commerce Secretary Gutierrez agreed that the two governments share the objective to strengthen the relationship and added the US attaches great importance to its trade and economic ties with Pakistan. The United States, he said, is appreciative of Pakistan's counter-terrorism efforts along the Afghan border.
They also discussed progress towards establishment of reconstruction opportunity zones, saying these would generate economic opportunities for people in disadvantaged areas. They also discussed progress towards concluding a bilateral investment treaty and free trade agreement between the two countries. The US-Pakistan relationship has expanded significantly in recent years to several areas including trade and economy. Pakistan's exports to the United States totalled $3.6 billion last year while its imports from the US were under $2 billion.