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KARACHI: Malik Khuda Bakhsh, Convener of the FPCCI Energy Committee, Senior Vice Chairman of the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA), President of the Pakistan Business Forum (Karachi Region), and Chairman of Malik Group, has expressed happiness over the rising relationship between Pakistan and the United States. He said that for the first time in history, the positive and statesman like remarks made by US President Donald Trump about Field Marshal General Syed Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will help bring the two countries even closer. Malik Khuda Bakhsh stated that after years of cold relations with Pakistan, the United States has now shifted its foreign policy direction, which is not only restoring Pak-US relations but also strengthening ties despite Pakistan’s past differences with the US over India, Afghanistan, and Israel. He added that President Donald Trump’s decision to strengthen relations with the world’s only Islamic nuclear power would open new avenues of cooperation that would prove beneficial for Pakistan. He further said that a major development between the two countries is the beginning of talks on a multi-billion-dollar defense agreement between Pakistan and the United States. Under this agreement, the US will not only provide Pakistan with advanced air-to-air missiles and fighter jets, but also assist in the development of rare minerals at concessional tariffs — a valuable asset for Pakistan. Malik Khuda Bakhsh remarked that after India’s defeat by Pakistan in the May 2025 war, the US and the rest of the world have begun recognizing Pakistan as a rising power. President Trump has repeatedly praised Field Marshal Asim Munir’s military capabilities and Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s wisdom and foresight, and has often mentioned his role in mediating and halting the Pakistan-India conflict. He emphasised that the unity between Pakistan’s political and military leadership serves the US interest in maintaining cooperation with Pakistan. Undoubtedly, Pakistan is currently maintaining a balanced relationship with both major powers — the US and China — with great success. Malik Khuda Bakhsh further stated that trade relations between Pakistan and the US have remained strong, with total bilateral trade in goods reaching an estimated USD 7.2 billion in 2024. Pakistan’s key exports to the US include home textiles and apparel, while major US exports to Pakistan comprise petroleum, cotton, and machinery. The strengthening bilateral ties have led both countries to explore further opportunities for trade cooperation, including discussions on mineral development. A new milestone in this partnership is the arrival of the first crude oil shipment from the US to Pakistan. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
