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Pakistan

The government of Pakistan is a keen pursuer of bilateral trade and investment agreements. It has a full FTA with Sri Lanka (2005), a PTA with Iran (2004) and Mauritius (2007), Early Harvest Schemes with China (2005) and Malaysia (2007), and is part of both ECOTA and SAFTA. It is in various stages of FTA talks, or preparations for talks, with Brunei, Indonesia, Jordan, Thailand, Malaysia, Morocco, Singapore, the Gulf Cooperation Council, Canada, Switzerland, Indonesia, Nepal, China, Turkey and Russia (among others). In July 2006, it signed a Framework Agreement on Trade with Mercosur.

Negotiations on a US-Pakistan bilateral investment treaty, as a step towards a US-Pakistan FTA, have been quite controversial and are unconcluded. After talks restarted in mid-2010, a draft US-Pakistan BIT was sent for approval to Pakistan’s Cabinet in April 2012. The Pakistani government has already signed almost 50 BITs with other countries. In 2011 Germany ratified a BIT with Pakistan.

On a wider scale, there is talk of possible Pakistani FTAs with Afghanistan, Algeria, the EU, Japan, Laos, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa and Tunisia.

last update: May 2012
Photo: Asian Development Bank/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0


Pakistan, US agree to remove trade barriers and boost ties
Appoint ‘focal persons’, Islamabad looks forward to boost partnership in IT, technology.
BIT with Hungary likely next month
Pakistan and Hungary are likely to finalise Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) next month during the visit of Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to Budapest.
Iran urges conclusion of free trade agreement with Pakistan
The foreign minister of Iran expressed hope for the finalization of a free trade agreement with Pakistan, which he said would greatly enhance the trade exchanges between the two neighbors.
Iranian trade team underscores need for finalising FTA
Leader of a trade delegation from Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture said that Iran and Pakistan must finalize the Free Trade Agreement at the earliest possible time.
Fishermens’ protest in Pakistan Gwadar port is a bone in the throat of Beijing
The threat of a burgeoning Balochistan region insurrection by fishermen against economic genocide puts Chinese investments in Pakistan’s deepwater port of Gwadar in jeopardy. Instead of the local government, Chinese investors are now the target of this street protest.
Pakistan, Afghanistan agree on PTA
The PTA from the Pakistan side focuses on 25 items mostly fruits and vegetables while Afghanistan agrees to reduce 60 percent export tax on coal.
Proposed BIT with Hungary: Differences emerge between BoI, ministries over proposal
There are two sticking points in the negotiations of the Pakistan-Hungary BIT: one is “Expropriation” and the other is “Subrogation”.
Pakistan leader in Beijing for talks on economic ties, CPEC ‘revitalisation’
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Beijing on Tuesday, where he is expected to discuss economic ties and reviving a stalled infrastructure and investment project.
Signing of PTA can boost bilateral trade: Tunisia envoy
Negotiations on a preferential trade agreement between Tunisia and Pakistan, which started three years ago, are near to be finalised.
President stresses for early CEPA finalization with UAE to increase exports
Pakistani President urged the need for early finalization of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with the United Arab Emirates to enable Pakistan to increase its exports.

    Links


  • Pakistan FTAs
    Webpage maintained by the Ministry of Commerce