Pakistani FM Ishaq Dar said that Pakistan and the United States are 'very close' to finalising a trade agreement, suggesting the deal could be reached within days. However, U.S. officials made no mention of a specific timeline following Dar’s meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Speaking at the Atlantic Council in Washington, Dar noted that bilateral discussions had progressed significantly, with both sides holding in-person and virtual meetings. “A committee appointed by the prime minister is now working to fine-tune the agreement,” he said, adding that its conclusion is expected in a matter of days, not weeks or months.
Under President Donald Trump, the U.S. has pursued the revision of multiple trade deals, often citing unfair practices and threatening tariffs—claims that many economists contest.
Following the Dar-Rubio meeting, both the U.S. State Department and Pakistan’s foreign ministry released statements highlighting the importance of deepening trade ties, particularly in the areas of critical minerals and mining. However, neither statement provided a timeline for finalising the deal. Rubio’s social media post after the meeting also avoided mentioning any deadlines.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry also acknowledged what it described as the significant role played by Trump and Rubio in helping to defuse tensions between Pakistan and India, referring to their efforts in facilitating a ceasefire. The U.S. State Department’s statement, however, made no reference to India.
Trump has repeatedly credited himself for brokering the ceasefire between India and Pakistan, which he announced on social media on May 10 after U.S.-led talks with both sides. India has rejected this version of events, maintaining that it does not accept foreign mediation and that any issues with Pakistan should be resolved bilaterally.
The ceasefire followed a deadly April 22 militant attack in India-administered Kashmir, which left 26 dead and triggered intense cross-border clashes. On May 7, India carried out strikes on Pakistani territory, prompting retaliatory attacks and a three-day escalation before the ceasefire was declared.
India blamed the April attack on Pakistan, which denied any involvement and called for an impartial international investigation. While Washington condemned the violence, it did not publicly assign blame to Islamabad.
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A large fire at the import cargo complex of Dhaka airport has caused significant damage to goods and materials belonging to key garment exporters, with losses and impacts on trade potentially amounting to millions of dollars, according to industry leaders on Sunday.
The Orenburg gas processing plant, the world's largest facility of its kind, has been forced to halt its intake of gas from Kazakhstan following a Ukrainian drone strike, according to Kazakhstan's energy ministry.
Israel launched air strikes and artillery fire on Gaza on Sunday, in what officials called a response to militant attacks, as the U.S.-mediated ceasefire came under renewed strain.
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A tsunami threat was issued in Chile after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Drake Passage on Friday. The epicenter was located 135 miles south of Puerto Williams on the north coast of Navarino Island.
The war in Ukraine has reached a strategic impasse, and it seems that the conflict will not be solved by military means. This creates a path toward one of two alternatives: either a “frozen” phase that can last indefinitely or a quest for a durable political regulation.
A shooting in Nice, southeastern France, left two people dead and five injured on Friday, authorities said.
Snapchat will start charging users who store more than 5GB of photos and videos in its Memories feature, prompting backlash from long-time users.
A large fire at the import cargo complex of Dhaka airport has caused significant damage to goods and materials belonging to key garment exporters, with losses and impacts on trade potentially amounting to millions of dollars, according to industry leaders on Sunday.
The Orenburg gas processing plant, the world's largest facility of its kind, has been forced to halt its intake of gas from Kazakhstan following a Ukrainian drone strike, according to Kazakhstan's energy ministry.
The Louvre Museum in Paris was closed on Sunday after thieves broke in and stole “priceless” jewellery from the Napoleon collection, the French government said.
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy said he is not afraid of going to prison, days before beginning a five-year sentence over his 2007 campaign financing case linked to Libya.
Millions of Americans took to the streets for “No Kings” rallies across all 50 states, denouncing what they called the corruption and authoritarianism of President Donald Trump.
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