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Home/Research & Publications/Pakistan-US Relations Reference

Pakistan-United States Relations: A Reference, 1947 to the Present

Envoys and visits, both countries' missions and ministries, dialogue mechanisms, the agreements in force, trade, assistance, defence, global institutions and people-to-people ties: drawn first from the official record of both governments, for researchers, diplomats and journalists. Last revised November 2026.

1947
Relations since 15 August
$8.5B
Goods trade, 2025
59
Agreements in force
13,165
Pakistani students in the US
2004
Major Non-NATO Ally
Overview

Pakistan-US Relations at a Glance

Pakistan-United States relations, often searched as Pakistan-USA or US-Pakistan relations, span almost eight decades. This page brings together, in one place, the record of relations between Pakistan and the United States since 1947: who represents each country and where, which ministries and agencies carry the relationship, the dialogues that structure it, the agreements in force, and the data on trade, assistance, defence, education and people. It is built from the official record of both governments first, the State Department and its Office of the Historian, Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two embassies, USTR and US statistical agencies, and turns to institutional data or reporting only where no official text exists. Where sources differ or a fact could not be confirmed, the page says so.

Pakistan's own Foreign Office describes the relationship as one "spanning over seven and a half decades" that is "broad-based, positive, and forward-looking." MOFA → Its history has moved in cycles: alliance in the 1950s, the China opening of 1971, partnership over Afghanistan in the 1980s, distance in the 1990s, strategic partnership after 2001, and a broad re-engagement since 2025 built on trade, critical minerals, counterterrorism and Pakistan's role as a mediator.

The relationship at a glance

ItemDetailSource
Diplomatic relations15 August 1947, the day of Pakistan's independence; the US was one of the first two states to recognise Pakistan Office of the Historian → MOFA →
MissionsPakistan: Embassy in Washington and four consulates (New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Houston). US: Embassy in Islamabad and Consulates General in Karachi and Lahore MOFA → US Mission →
Heads of missionAmbassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh (Washington, since 2024); Chargé d'Affaires Natalie A. Baker (Islamabad, since January 2025) Dawn → US Embassy →
StatusMajor Non-NATO Ally since 16 June 2004 White House archive →
Agreements in force59 treaties and agreements on the State Department's register (2020 edition): 53 concluded since 1947 and six earlier US-UK or British-India instruments that apply by succession Treaties in Force →
Goods trade (2025)$8.5 billion; US exports $3.1bn, imports from Pakistan $5.4bn US Census Bureau →
US assistance (obligations)$30,724 million, FY1948 to FY2025, current dollars (about $30.7 billion); a wider measure including Pentagon reimbursements is explained under Assistance ForeignAssistance.gov →
Pakistani students in the US13,165 in 2024/25, up 19.8% on the year Open Doors →
Pakistani-origin populationAbout 680,000 people identify as Pakistani, alone or in combination (US Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2023) Pew Research Center →
Remittances from the US$3,624 million in FY2026 (July 2025 to June 2026) State Bank of Pakistan →
Direct investment from the USNet −$114 million in FY2026 ($88 million in, $201 million out); net $35 million in FY2025 State Bank of Pakistan →
Government to Government

Pakistan-US Diplomatic History: Envoys & Visits

Who has represented the United States in Pakistan, and the leader-level visits in both directions, as recorded by the State Department's Office of the Historian and updated from official readouts.

US Chiefs of Mission in Pakistan

The Office of the Historian's register runs to 2020 and is no longer updated; later entries are from the US Embassy and Pakistani records. Office of the Historian → Paul Jones departs, 2020 → Aggeler as Chargé → US Embassy →

NameTitleYears
Charles W. Lewis Jr.Chargé d'Affaires a.i.1947
Paul H. AllingAmbassador1948
Avra M. WarrenAmbassador1950–1952
Horace A. HildrethAmbassador1953–1957
James M. LangleyAmbassador1957–1959
William M. RountreeAmbassador1959–1962
Walter P. McConaughy Jr.Ambassador1962–1966
Eugene M. LockeAmbassador1966–1967
Benjamin H. OehlertAmbassador1967–1969
Joseph S. FarlandAmbassador1969–1972
Henry A. ByroadeAmbassador1973–1977
Arthur W. Hummel Jr.Ambassador1977–1981
Ronald I. SpiersAmbassador1981–1983
Deane R. HintonAmbassador1983–1986
Arnold L. RaphelAmbassador1987–1988
Robert B. OakleyAmbassador1988–1991
Nicholas PlattAmbassador1991–1992
John C. MonjoAmbassador1992–1995
Thomas W. Simons Jr.Ambassador1996–1998
William B. MilamAmbassador1998–2001
Wendy J. ChamberlinAmbassador2001–2002
Nancy J. PowellAmbassador2002–2004
Ryan C. CrockerAmbassador2004–2007
Anne W. PattersonAmbassador2007–2010
Cameron P. MunterAmbassador2010–2012
Richard G. Olson Jr.Ambassador2012–2015
David HaleAmbassador2015–2018
Paul W. JonesChargé d'Affaires a.i.2018–2020
Angela P. AggelerChargé d'Affaires a.i.2020–2022
Donald A. BlomeAmbassadorMay 2022 to early 2025
Natalie A. BakerChargé d'Affaires a.i.January 2025 – present

Pakistan's Ambassadors in Washington

Pakistan opened its embassy in Washington soon after relations were established in 1947. MOFA → The Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not publish a consolidated register of its envoys, so this list was compiled by IPDS: terms to 1981 are taken from the persons indexes of the State Department's Foreign Relations of the United States series; later terms from Pakistani government records where available, otherwise from published compilations, each linked. Years are years of service; chargés d'affaires between ambassadors are not listed.

#AmbassadorYearsSource
1M.A.H. Ispahani1947–1952 Truman Library; FRUS 1950 →
2Mohammad Ali (Bogra)1952–1953 FRUS 1952–54 →
3Syed Amjad Ali1953–1955 FRUS 1955–57 →
4Mohammad Ali (Bogra), second term1955–1959 FRUS 1955–57 →
5Aziz Ahmed1959–1963 FRUS 1961–63 →
6Ghulam Ahmed1963–1966 FRUS 1964–68 →
7Agha Hilaly1966–1971 FRUS 1969–76 →
8Nawabzada Agha Mohammad Raza1971–1972 FRUS 1969–76 →
9Sultan Mohammad Khan1972–1974 FRUS 1969–76 →
10Sahabzada Yaqub Khan1974–1979 FRUS 1977–80 →
11Sultan Mohammad Khan, second term1979–1981 FRUS 1977–80 →
12Ejaz Azim1981–1986 The News →
13Jamsheed Marker1986–1989 The News →
14Zulfiqar Ali Khan1989–1990 The News →
15Najmuddin Shaikh1990–1991 Jinnah Institute →
16Syeda Abida Hussain1991–1993 The News →
17Maleeha Lodhi1994–1997 The News →
18Riaz Khokhar1997–1999 The News →
19Maleeha Lodhi, second term1999–2002 The News →
20Ashraf Jehangir Qazi2002–2004 United Nations →
21Jehangir Karamat2004–2006 The News →
22Mahmud Ali Durrani2006–2008 The News →
23Husain Haqqani2008–2011 The News →
24Sherry Rehman2011–2013 The News →
25Jalil Abbas Jilani2013–2017 The News →
26Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry2017–2018 Washington Diplomat →
27Asad Majeed Khan2019–2022 Embassy of Pakistan →
28Masood Khan2022–2024 MOFA →
29Rizwan Saeed Sheikh2024–present MOFA →

US Presidents in Pakistan

DatePresidentCityPurpose
7–9 Dec 1959Dwight D. EisenhowerKarachiInformal visit; met President Ayub Khan
23 Dec 1967Lyndon B. JohnsonKarachiMet President Ayub Khan
1–2 Aug 1969Richard M. NixonLahoreState visit; met President Yahya Khan
25 Mar 2000William J. ClintonIslamabadMet President Tarar and General Musharraf; radio address
3–4 Mar 2006George W. BushIslamabadMet President Musharraf; Strategic Partnership joint statement

Source: Office of the Historian, Travels of the President →

Pakistani leaders in the United States

DateVisitorNature of visit
May 1950PM Liaquat Ali KhanOfficial visit
Oct 1954PM Mohammed AliOfficial guest
Jul 1957PM H.S. SuhrawardyOfficial visit
Jul 1961President Ayub KhanState visit; addressed Congress
Dec 1965President Ayub KhanState visit
Sep 1973, Feb 1975PM Zulfikar Ali BhuttoOfficial visits
Dec 1982President Zia ul-HaqState visit
Jul 1986PM Muhammad Khan JunejoOfficial visit
Jun 1989, Apr 1995PM Benazir BhuttoOfficial visits
Dec 1998, Jul 1999PM Nawaz SharifOfficial working and private visits
2002–2006President Pervez MusharrafWorking visits incl. Camp David, Jun 2003
Jan 2006PM Shaukat AzizWorking visit
Jul 2008PM Yousaf Raza GilaniWorking visit
May 2009President Asif Ali ZardariWorking visit
Oct 2013, Oct 2015PM Nawaz SharifWorking visits
Jul 2019PM Imran KhanOfficial working visit
Jun 2025Field Marshal Syed Asim MunirWhite House lunch with President Trump Geo/ISPR →
Sep 2025PM Shehbaz Sharif with Field Marshal MunirOval Office meeting Dawn →
Feb 2026PM Shehbaz SharifWashington; Board of Peace inaugural meeting; met Secretary Rubio State Dept →
May 2026DPM/FM Ishaq DarWashington; met Secretary Rubio State Dept →

Source: Office of the Historian, Visits by Foreign Leaders → for visits to 2019; later visits as linked. Meetings on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly are not listed separately.

Secretaries of State in Pakistan

28 visits by 12 Secretaries of State, from John Foster Dulles in 1953 to Michael Pompeo in 2018. Office of the Historian → Since then ministerial contact has taken place in Washington, at the UN and by telephone, including meetings between Secretary Marco Rubio and Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on 25 July 2025 and 29 May 2026. MOFA → MOFA →

DateSecretary of StateCityPurpose
22–25 May 1953John Foster DullesKarachiMet Prime Minister Ali and senior officials
5–9 Mar 1956John Foster DullesKarachiSecond SEATO Council meeting
29 Apr–2 May 1963Dean RuskKarachiCENTO Ministerial meeting
24–25 May 1969William P. RogersLahoreMet President Yahya Khan
10 Nov 1973Henry A. KissingerIslamabadMet Prime Minister Bhutto
31 Oct–1 Nov 1974Henry A. KissingerRawalpindiMet Prime Minister Bhutto
8–9 Aug 1976Henry A. KissingerLahoreMet Prime Minister Bhutto
2–4 Jul 1983George P. ShultzIslamabad, PeshawarMet President Zia; visited an Afghan refugee camp
19–20 Aug 1988George P. ShultzIslamabadState funeral of President Zia
17–18 Nov 1997Madeleine K. AlbrightIslamabad, PeshawarMet Prime Minister Sharif; visited an Afghan refugee camp
25 Mar 2000Madeleine K. AlbrightIslamabadAccompanied President Clinton
15–16 Oct 2001Colin L. PowellIslamabadCounterterrorism cooperation with President Musharraf
15–17 Jan 2002Colin L. PowellIslamabadMet President Musharraf
28 Jul 2002Colin L. PowellIslamabadMet President Musharraf
17–18 Mar 2004Colin L. PowellIslamabadMet President Musharraf and Foreign Minister Kasuri
16–18 Mar 2005Condoleezza RiceIslamabadMet President Musharraf
12 Oct 2005Condoleezza RiceIslamabadEarthquake relief
3–4 Mar 2006Condoleezza RiceIslamabadAccompanied President Bush
27–28 Jun 2006Condoleezza RiceIslamabadMet President Musharraf and Foreign Minister Kasuri
4 Dec 2008Condoleezza RiceIslamabadMet President Zardari
28–30 Oct 2009Hillary R. ClintonIslamabad, LahoreMet Foreign Minister Qureshi; announced assistance programmes
18–19 Jul 2010Hillary R. ClintonIslamabadStrategic Dialogue meeting; aid agreements
27 May 2011Hillary R. ClintonIslamabadMet President Zardari and senior leaders
20–21 Oct 2011Hillary R. ClintonIslamabadMet Prime Minister Gilani, Foreign Minister Khar, President Zardari
31 Jul–2 Aug 2013John F. KerryIslamabadMet President Zardari and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
12–14 Jan 2015John F. KerryIslamabadStrategic Dialogue ministerial
24 Oct 2017Rex W. TillersonIslamabadMet senior officials
5 Sep 2018Michael R. PompeoIslamabadMet Prime Minister Imran Khan, Foreign Minister Qureshi, General Bajwa
The Complete Roster

Embassies & Consulates of Pakistan and the United States

Every embassy and consulate each country keeps in the other, with heads of post where the mission itself publishes them.

Pakistan's missions in the United States

Embassy of Pakistan, Washington, D.C.

Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh; Deputy Chief of Mission Dr. Mariam Saeed

Chancery designed by Nayyar Ali Dada, inaugurated June 2004. Wings: Diplomatic, Community Affairs, Defence (Defence, Naval and Air Attachés), Economic, Trade & Investment (Ministry of Commerce/TDAP), Finance, Press.

Official website →

Consulate General of Pakistan, New York

Consular post

Serves the north-eastern United States; also the city of Pakistan's Permanent Mission to the United Nations.

Official website →

Consulate General of Pakistan, Chicago

Consular post

Serves the Midwest.

Official website →

Consulate General of Pakistan, Los Angeles

Consul General Asim Ali Khan

Serves the western United States; includes a Trade and Commercial Counsellor.

Official website →

Consulate General of Pakistan, Houston

Consular post

Serves the southern United States.

Official website →

Sources: MOFA → Embassy staff list → Chancery history →

US missions in Pakistan

Embassy of the United States, Islamabad

Chargé d'Affaires Natalie A. Baker (since January 2025); Deputy Chief of Mission Catherine Connell (since September 2026)

Diplomatic Enclave, Islamabad. One of the largest US missions in the region, per MOFA.

Official website →

US Consulate General, Karachi

Consul General Charles Goodman

Serves Sindh and Balochistan.

Official website →

US Consulate General, Lahore

Consul General Stetson Sanders, the 35th US Consul General in Lahore

Serves Punjab.

Official website →

Peshawar: the US Consulate General in Peshawar closed on 17 July 2026, after the State Department announced a phased closure in May 2026; its work, including engagement with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, moved to the Embassy in Islamabad. Pakistan's Foreign Office country page still lists it. Dawn, May 2026 → ProPakistani, July 2026 → US Mission contacts →
Who Does What

Ministries, Agencies & Legislatures

The institutions on each side that carry the relationship, and where researchers can find their primary records.

Pakistan

InstitutionRole in the relationshipWebsite
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Americas Division)Lead on the relationship; dialogues; visits Visit →
Prime Minister's OfficeLeader-level engagement Visit →
Ministry of Commerce / TDAPTIFA; reciprocal trade negotiations; Trade Wing in Washington Visit →
Ministry of FinanceIMF and multilateral finance; Economic Wing in Washington Visit →
Ministry of Defence / GHQ / ISPRDefence ties; Defence Wing in Washington Visit →
Special Investment Facilitation CouncilInvestment, including minerals and energy Visit →
Board of InvestmentInvestment promotion Visit →
Higher Education CommissionFulbright-HEC partnership Visit →
State Bank of PakistanFDI and remittance data Visit →

United States

InstitutionRole in the relationshipWebsite
Department of State: Bureau of South and Central Asian AffairsLead on the relationship; assistance programmes since 2025 Visit →
The White House / National Security CouncilLeader-level engagement Visit →
Office of the US Trade RepresentativeTIFA; Agreement on Reciprocal Trade talks Visit →
Department of Commerce / Census BureauCommercial advocacy; official trade statistics Visit →
Department of the TreasuryIMF and international finance Visit →
Department of War (Defense)Security cooperation; foreign military sales (with State) Visit →
State Department Counterterrorism BureauCounterterrorism Dialogue Visit →
US Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP)Binational Fulbright commission Visit →
US CongressAuthorisation and appropriation; the Congressional Pakistan Caucus, co-chaired by Representatives Tom Suozzi and Jack Bergman Visit →
How the Relationship Is Run

Dialogues & Standing Mechanisms

The formal channels through which the two governments meet, from the Strategic Dialogue to sector working groups.

MechanismStatus and latest roundSource
Strategic DialogueLaunched with the March 2006 Strategic Partnership; raised to ministerial level in 2010; interrupted in 2011 and resumed in Washington on 27 January 2014; Islamabad, January 2015; sixth and latest ministerial round in Washington, 29 February–1 March 2016 (Sartaj Aziz and John Kerry) Joint statement → State Dept, 2014 → Office of the Historian → Joint statement, 2016 →
Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) CouncilAgreement signed 25 June 2003; 9th ministerial Council, Washington, 23 February 2023 Treaties in Force → USTR →
Counterterrorism DialogueRounds in Islamabad (12 August 2025) and Washington (4th round, 4 August 2026) State Dept → MOFA →
Agreement on Reciprocal Trade negotiationsSince 2025; Washington round 9–10 July 2026; few technical issues left as of October 2026 Express Tribune → Profit →
Energy Security DialogueSession of 15 March 2023, under the US-Pakistan Green Alliance framework Joint statement →
Climate and Environment Working GroupPart of the Green Alliance framework launched in 2022 Joint statement →
Mid-level Defence Dialogue and Health DialogueListed by MOFA among the standing consultation mechanisms MOFA →
Joint Commission on economic, commercial, scientific, technological, educational and cultural cooperationEstablished by agreement of 6 December 1982 Treaties in Force →
Science and Technology Cooperation AgreementSigned 25 June 2003; renewed 2008, 2013 and 2018/19 Treaties in Force →
Pakistan's Foreign Office lists the current consultation mechanisms as the TIFA Ministerial Council, Mid-level Defence Dialogue, Counterterrorism Dialogue, Climate and Environment Working Group, Energy Security Dialogue and Health Dialogue. MOFA →
The Legal Framework

Pakistan-US Agreements and Treaties in Force

The complete list: all 59 treaties and agreements the State Department records as in force between the two countries.

The list reproduces, in full and by date, the Pakistan section of the State Department's Treaties in Force as of 1 January 2020, the most recent edition whose full text could be read. Treaties in Force, 2020 edition → Six entries are earlier US-UK or British-India instruments that apply to Pakistan by succession under the Indian Independence (International Arrangements) Order, 1947; the other 53 were concluded by Pakistan itself. By field: defence 12, finance 10, assistance 7, trade 5, postal 3, property 2, law enforcement 2, diplomatic 2, consular 2, taxation 2, intellectual property 1, cultural 1, people 1, education 1, refugees 1, framework 1, transport 1, investment 1, environment 1, science 1, legal 1, customs 1. Amendments, extensions and related notes are not listed separately. Compare against the 2025 edition → for any change since 2020.

Signed or in forceAgreementField
3 Jul 1815Convention to regulate commerce (article IV), United States and United Kingdom (by succession)Trade
24 Oct 1877Declaration affording reciprocal protection to trademarks, United States and United Kingdom (by succession)Intellectual property
2 Mar 1899Convention relating to tenure and disposition of real and personal property, United States and United Kingdom (by succession)Property
13 Jan 1902Supplementary convention to the property convention of 1899 (by succession)Property
22 Dec 1931Extradition treaty, United States and United Kingdom, applied to India from 1942 (by succession)Law enforcement
16 May 1946Agreement on settlement for lend-lease, reciprocal aid, surplus war property and claims (with India; continued by Pakistan, note of 12 June 1948) (by succession)Trade
4 Feb 1949Arrangement on reciprocal concessions and privileges for diplomatic and consular officersDiplomatic
18 Oct 1949Agreement on the reciprocal reduction of visa fees (status under review)Consular
15 Dec 1950Agreement on the transfer of military supplies and equipment to PakistanDefence
9 Feb 1951Agreement for technical cooperationAssistance
23 May 1951Agreement for the exchange of official publicationsCultural
2 Feb 1952Supplementary agreement for technical cooperationAssistance
1 May 1954Agreement on an informational media guaranty programmeAssistance
19 May 1954Mutual defense assistance agreement, KarachiDefence
23 Aug 1954Agreement on emergency flood assistance for East PakistanAssistance
2 Oct 1954Agreement on duty-free entry and inland transport of relief suppliesAssistance
11 Jan 1955Defense support assistance agreementDefence
1955 (in force 1 Jan 1956)Agreement for the exchange of parcels by parcel postPostal
15 May 1956Agreement on disposition of equipment furnished under the 1954 defence agreementDefence
28 May 1956Construction agreement under the 1954 defence agreementDefence
10 Sep 1956Agreement on supplies and services to naval vesselsDefence
1 Jul 1957Convention for the avoidance of double taxation (in force 21 May 1959)Taxation
5 Mar 1959Agreement of cooperation, AnkaraDefence
27 Jun 1959Agreement on the reciprocal issuance of nonimmigrant visasConsular
12 Nov 1959Treaty of friendship and commerce (in force 12 Feb 1961)Trade
31 May 1962Agreement establishing a Peace Corps programme in PakistanPeople
20 Sep 1972Debt consolidation and rescheduling agreementsFinance
18 Oct 1972Agreement for financing educational exchange programmesEducation
4 Mar 1976Debt consolidation and rescheduling agreementFinance
9 Sep 1977Agreement on mutual assistance in matters relating to Lockheed and BoeingLaw enforcement
30 Aug 1979MoU on concessions in the multilateral trade negotiations, GenevaTrade
10 May 1981Debt rescheduling agreement (US Government and USAID)Finance
18 Aug 1981Implementing agreement on debts owed to USAIDFinance
27 Sep 1981Rescheduling of P.L. 480 Title I paymentsFinance
30 Sep 1981Agreement on transport of relief commodities to Afghan refugee campsRefugees
24 Jun 1982Agreement on general security of military informationDefence
6 Dec 1982Joint commission on economic, commercial, scientific, technological, educational and cultural cooperationFramework
30 Jul 1986Agreement on IMET trainingDefence
1987 (in force 1 May 1987)International express mail agreementPostal
27 Jul 1989Reciprocal tax exemption for international shipping incomeTaxation
27 Jan 1990MoU on co-assembly and co-production of AN/UAS 12A night sight equipmentDefence
1993 (in force 15 Mar 1993)INTELPOST memorandum of understandingPostal
10 Apr 1997Air transport agreement (amended 1999, 2007)Transport
18 Nov 1997Investment incentive agreement (in force 28 Jan 1998)Investment
18 Nov 1997GLOBE environmental programme agreementEnvironment
26 Nov 1999Debt consolidation and rescheduling agreementFinance
24 Sep 2001Debt consolidation and rescheduling agreementFinance
23 Aug 2002Debt consolidation agreementFinance
5 Apr 2003Debt reduction agreementFinance
25 Jun 2003Trade and investment framework agreement (TIFA)Trade
25 Jun 2003Science and technology cooperation agreement (extended 2008, 2013, 2019)Science
27 Jun 2003Grants and defence articles under the Foreign Assistance ActDefence
21 Jul 2003Agreement on the surrender of persons to international tribunalsLegal
13 Feb 2004Employment of dependents of official government employeesDiplomatic
16 Jul 2004Debt reduction agreementFinance
30 Apr 2007Mutual assistance between customs administrations, Port QasimCustoms
30 Sep 2010Pakistan Enhanced Partnership Agreement (amended 2012, 2013)Assistance
2011/12 (in force 22 Feb 2012)Aviation Leadership Program agreementDefence
18 Sep 2012Activity agreement for the Peshawar-Torkham roadAssistance

Instruments since the 2020 register

DateInstrumentSource
8 Sep 2025US Strategic Metals and Frontier Works Organization MoU on critical minerals (commercial, not a government agreement) Dawn →
Aug 2026USEFP and HEC five-year Fulbright-HEC agreement (announced 11 August, signed 17 August) Radio Pakistan → USEFP →
Not yet concluded: the bilateral Agreement on Reciprocal Trade was still under negotiation at this revision, and no bilateral investment treaty is in force between the two countries. Profit → 2025 Investment Climate Statement →
By the Numbers

Pakistan-US Trade & Investment

The United States has been Pakistan's largest single-country export market for more than two decades. US Embassy, 2026 →

US goods trade with Pakistan, 2007 to 2026 (US$ million)
Bars: US exports and imports. Line: the US balance (exports minus imports), negative throughout. *2026 is January to August. Source: US Census Bureau.
US exports to Pakistan US imports from Pakistan US balance
US goods trade with Pakistan, 2007 to 2026 (US$ million)−4,000−2,00002,0004,0006,0000709111315171921232526*US balance

Goods trade, selected years (US$ million)

YearUS exports to PakistanUS imports from PakistanTotalUS balance
20071,9443,5785,522−1,634
20101,9013,5095,410−1,608
20131,6463,6895,335−2,043
20151,8383,7015,539−1,863
20172,8083,5746,382−766
20182,8523,7066,558−854
20192,6473,9206,567−1,273
20202,9123,8996,811−987
20213,6175,2828,899−1,665
20223,1475,9949,141−2,847
20232,0414,8856,926−2,844
20242,1085,1187,226−3,010
20253,1275,4188,545−2,291
2026 (Jan–Aug)2,2353,5225,757−1,287

Source: US Census Bureau, Trade in Goods with Pakistan → Each export and import figure is rounded to the nearest million once; totals and balances are computed from those rounded figures. Pakistani figures are kept on a July–June fiscal year and differ from US calendar-year data; Pakistan's Foreign Office reported more than $5 billion of exports to the US in October 2026. MOFA →

Tariffs

In July 2025 the US set a 19% reciprocal tariff on Pakistani goods, down from an announced 29%. Dawn → That rate rested on emergency-powers authority, which the US Supreme Court ruled on 20 February 2026 does not extend to tariffs; US-wide measures have applied since, while the two sides negotiate a bilateral Agreement on Reciprocal Trade. Supreme Court → Profit →

Direct investment from the United States

Net foreign direct investment from the US, by Pakistani fiscal year (US$ million), from the State Bank of Pakistan's country-wise investment tables. Net FDI turned negative in FY2026 as outflows ($201 million) exceeded new inflows ($88 million). State Bank of Pakistan →

Fiscal yearFY19FY20FY21FY22FY23FY24FY25FY26
Net FDI from the US88.199.2166.4313.6180.0110.335.3−113.5

Workers' remittances from the United States

Remittances sent from the US to Pakistan, by Pakistani fiscal year (US$ million). From July 2019 the State Bank attributes remittances to the sender's original country rather than the country they were routed through, so FY2020 onward is not comparable with earlier years; on the new basis FY2026 reached $3,624 million. State Bank of Pakistan, Country-wise Workers' Remittances →

Fiscal yearFY20FY21FY22FY23FY24FY25FY26
Remittances from the US1,742.82,599.63,087.43,167.83,531.23,720.43,623.5

Investment and minerals

The State Department's 2025 Investment Climate Statement sets out the conditions US investors report. State Dept → The largest recent commitment is the September 2025 critical-minerals MoU between US Strategic Metals and the Frontier Works Organization, envisaging about $500 million in a first phase; the first shipment left for the US in October 2025. Dawn → USSM → Pakistan's embassy in Washington runs a Trade & Investment Wing and, in October 2026, a "Pakistan-US Tech Connect" series in Silicon Valley and Dallas. Embassy Trade Wing → Embassy →

Development & Security Assistance

US Assistance to Pakistan

$30,724 million obligated between FY1948 and FY2025 in current dollars (about $30.7 billion; $84.6 billion in constant dollars), in waves that track the political history of the relationship.

US assistance to Pakistan by fiscal year, FY1948 to FY2025 (US$ million obligated, current)
Stacked: economic and military obligations. Dashed lines mark political turning points. Source: ForeignAssistance.gov.
Economic Military
US assistance to Pakistan by fiscal year, FY1948 to FY2025 (US$ million obligated, current)01,0002,0003,00019601970198019902000201020201234567
1 1954 defence agreement 2 1965 war: aid suspended 3 Afghan decade 4 1990 Pressler cut-off 5 After 9/11 6 2009 Enhanced Partnership Act 7 2018 security assistance paused

Obligations by decade, US$ million (current)

PeriodEconomicMilitaryTotal
FY1948–FY19599774251,402
FY1960–FY19692,7472893,036
FY1970–FY19791,38311,384
FY1980–FY19892,7872,0074,794
FY1990–FY1999768190958
FY2000–FY20094,1262,3336,459
FY2010–FY20198,3313,24611,577
FY2020–FY20251,060541,114
Total22,1798,54530,724

Selected years, US$ million (current)

Fiscal yearEconomicMilitaryTotal
FY196240395498
FY1988466261727
FY199219322
FY200275476830
FY20101,7529172,669
FY201842315438
FY20221883191
FY20251933196

Source: ForeignAssistance.gov, complete dataset, obligations →; economic and military split by the dataset's own Foreign Assistance Objective field. Each year's figure is rounded to the nearest million once, and every period total is the sum of those rounded figures, so the columns add up exactly.

Measuring aid: why figures differ

Published totals for US aid to Pakistan vary widely because they measure different things. This page uses obligations recorded on ForeignAssistance.gov: funds the US government has committed to specific programmes, in current dollars. On that basis FY2002 to FY2022 comes to $18,416 million.

The Congressional Research Service, followed by much of the scholarship, uses appropriations (money Congress made available, usually more than is later obligated) and adds Coalition Support Funds, Pentagon payments that reimbursed Pakistan for logistical and operational support of US-led operations. CRS counts $8,954 million in security-related and $11,875 million in economic-related appropriations for FY2002 to FY2022, plus $14,573 million in Coalition Support Fund reimbursements, a total of $34,854 million. CRS R47565, Table 1 → Coalition Support Funds are reimbursements rather than assistance programmes, so ForeignAssistance.gov does not record them as aid; both figures are correct for what they measure. Constant-dollar figures, which adjust for inflation, make earlier decades larger still.

Landmarks

Pakistan's Foreign Office credits US support with helping to bring the Green Revolution to Pakistan in the 1960s and with building the Mangla, Tarbela and Gomal Zam dams. MOFA → Technical cooperation began with the agreement of 9 February 1951, and a Peace Corps programme was established in 1962. Treaties in Force → Most assistance was suspended from October 1990 under the Pressler Amendment. State Dept → The Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009 authorised $7.5 billion in civilian aid over five years, implemented through the Pakistan Enhanced Partnership Agreement of 30 September 2010. GovInfo → Treaties in Force → After the 2022 floods the US provided relief announced alongside the 75th anniversary of relations. MOFA →

Security Cooperation

Pakistan-US Defence & Security Cooperation

One of the longest-running security relationships in Asia, from the 1954 defence assistance agreement to today's counterterrorism and maritime cooperation.

YearDevelopmentSource
1954Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement FRUS →
1954–1955Membership of SEATO and the Baghdad Pact (later CENTO) Office of the Historian → State Dept →
1959Bilateral Agreement of Cooperation UN Treaty Series →
1982, 1986General security of military information; IMET training agreement Treaties in Force →
2004Major Non-NATO Ally designation White House archive →
2011Founding members, Global Counterterrorism Forum State Dept →
2025–2026Counterterrorism Dialogue naming ISIS-K, al-Qa'ida, TTP and BLA as shared priorities MOFA →
Dec 2025Notification of a possible $686 million F-16 sustainment package Dawn →
Jan 2026Pakistan Navy takes command of Combined Task Force 150 (maritime security), its 12th time Combined Maritime Forces →

Pakistan's embassy in Washington maintains a Defence Wing with Defence, Naval and Air Attachés, and MOFA lists a Mid-level Defence Dialogue among the standing mechanisms. Embassy → MOFA → Pakistan has commanded the Combined Maritime Forces' counter-piracy (CTF 151) and maritime security (CTF 150) task forces many times; the US-led coalition is headquartered in Bahrain. CMF task forces →

Partners Beyond the Bilateral

Global Institutions & Shared Platforms

The multilateral bodies and coalitions where the two countries work side by side.

Institution or platformThe two countries' rolesSource
United NationsFounding member (US, 1945) / member since 1947 (Pakistan); Pakistan holds a non-permanent Security Council seat for 2025–2026 alongside the US as a permanent member MOFA →
International Monetary FundUS is the largest shareholder; Pakistan's EFF (2024) and RSF (2025) programmes IMF → IMF country page →
World Bank GroupUS is the largest shareholder; Pakistan is among IDA's largest borrowers World Bank →
Global Counterterrorism ForumBoth founding members, 2011 State Dept →
Combined Maritime ForcesUS-led 47-nation naval partnership; Pakistan a regular task force commander CMF →
Board of PeaceUS-chaired; Pakistan a founding member, January 2026 Dawn → State Dept →
Critical Minerals MinisterialPakistan took part, Washington, February 2026 State Dept →
US-Iran mediationPakistan hosted the Islamabad Talks (April 2026) and mediated the Islamabad MoU (June 2026), later with Qatar MOFA → MOFA →
People, Not Just Governments

People, Education & the Pakistani-American Diaspora

The ties that outlast political cycles: students, scholars, exchanges and a diaspora of about 680,000.

Pakistani students in the United States

Pakistani students in US higher education, 2017/18 to 2024/25
Up 75% in seven years. Source: Open Doors 2025, Institute of International Education.
Pakistani students in US higher education, 2017/18 to 2024/2505,00010,00015,0002017/187,5372018/192019/202020/212021/222022/232023/242024/2513,165
Academic yearStudents
2017/187,537
2018/197,957
2019/207,939
2020/217,475
2021/228,772
2022/2310,164
2023/2410,988
2024/2513,165

Pakistan was the 13th-largest place of origin in 2024/25; 44% of its students were in graduate programmes, and Pakistani students contributed an estimated $525 million to the US economy. Texas, Illinois and New York host the most. Open Doors 2025, IIE →

Fulbright and exchanges

The Fulbright Program in Pakistan is run by the US Educational Foundation in Pakistan, a binational commission the two governments established in 1950, and is among the world's largest Fulbright programmes. USEFP → Embassy of Pakistan → A later agreement of 18 October 1972 on financing educational exchanges is still in force. Treaties in Force → In August 2026 USEFP and the Higher Education Commission renewed the Fulbright-HEC partnership for five years, with a target of 66 PhD scholars; the Ministry of Federal Education announced it on 11 August and USEFP dates the signing 17 August. Radio Pakistan → USEFP →

The Pakistani-American community

About 680,000 people in the United States identified as Pakistani, alone or in combination with another group, in 2023, according to Census Bureau estimates analysed by the Pew Research Center. Pew Research Center → Pakistan's Foreign Office, citing the Census Bureau's 2021 figure of 629,946, names New York, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles and the Washington, D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area as the main centres. MOFA → The Congressional Pakistan Caucus, co-chaired by Representatives Tom Suozzi and Jack Bergman, held a bipartisan policy symposium on the future of US-Pakistan relations at the Capitol in March 2026. Office of Rep. Suozzi → Rep. Suozzi, committees and caucuses →

1947 to the Present

Pakistan-US Relations Timeline, 1947 to 2026

158 dated events, each linked to its source: visits in both directions, every US chief of mission, Secretary of State travel, landmark agreements and recent readouts. Search by keyword or filter by theme.

  1. 15 Aug 1947 · Diplomacy

    The United States recognised Pakistan the day it became independent: President Truman congratulated Governor-General Muhammad Ali Jinnah on its emergence among the family of nations. Diplomatic relations were established the same day, with an American Embassy in Karachi under Chargé d'Affaires Charles W. Lewis Jr. (US Office of the Historian)

  2. 26 Feb 1948 · Diplomacy

    Paul H. Alling took up post as the first US Ambassador to Pakistan. (Office of the Historian, Chiefs of Mission)

  3. February 25, 1950 · Diplomacy

    Avra Milvin Warren takes up post as US Ambassador to Pakistan. (Office of the Historian)

  4. 3 to 5 May 1950 · Diplomacy

    Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan made an official visit to Washington, then toured the United States until 30 May. (Office of the Historian, Visits by Foreign Leaders)

  5. 15 Dec 1950 · Defence & security

    First military supplies agreement: transfer of military supplies and equipment to Pakistan. (Treaties in Force)

  6. 9 Feb 1951 · Assistance

    Agreement for technical cooperation signed in Karachi, the start of US development assistance. (Treaties in Force)

  7. May 19, 1953 · Diplomacy

    Horace Augustus Hildreth takes up post as US Ambassador to Pakistan. (Office of the Historian)

  8. 22 to 25 May 1953 · Diplomacy

    Secretary of State John Foster Dulles visited Karachi, the first visit by a US Secretary of State. (Office of the Historian, Travels of the Secretary)

  9. November 8–13, 1953 · Diplomacy

    Governor General Ghulam Mohammed in the United States: met with President Eisenhower after obtaining medical treatment in Boston (Massachusetts). (Office of the Historian)

  10. 19 May 1954 · Defence & security

    The two governments signed the Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement in Karachi. (FRUS 1952-54)

  11. 8 Sep 1954 · Defence & security

    Pakistan signed the Manila Pact, joining the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO). (Office of the Historian)

  12. October 14–21, 1954 · Diplomacy

    Prime Minister Mohammed Ali in the United States: official guest. (Office of the Historian)

  13. 1955 · Defence & security

    Pakistan joined the Baghdad Pact, later the Central Treaty Organization (CENTO). (US Department of State)

  14. 11 Jan 1955 · Defence & security

    Defense support assistance agreement signed in Karachi. (Treaties in Force)

  15. 5–9 Mar 1956 · Defence & security

    Secretary of State John Foster Dulles in Karachi: second SEATO Council meeting. (Office of the Historian)

  16. 1 Jul 1957 · Trade & investment

    Convention for the avoidance of double taxation signed (in force 1959). (Treaties in Force)

  17. July 10–13, 1957 · Diplomacy

    Prime Minister Suhrawardy in the United States: official visit. (Office of the Historian)

  18. July 27, 1957 · Diplomacy

    James McLellan Langley takes up post as US Ambassador to Pakistan. (Office of the Historian)

  19. 5 Mar 1959 · Diplomacy

    The US-Pakistan Agreement of Cooperation was signed at Ankara. (UN Treaty Series No. 5816)

  20. August 17, 1959 · Diplomacy

    William Manning Rountree takes up post as US Ambassador to Pakistan. (Office of the Historian)

  21. 12 Nov 1959 · Trade & investment

    Treaty of friendship and commerce signed in Washington (in force 1961). (Treaties in Force)

  22. 7 to 9 Dec 1959 · Diplomacy

    President Dwight D. Eisenhower visited Karachi, the first visit by a US President to Pakistan. (Office of the Historian, Travels of the President)

  23. 11 to 14 Jul 1961 · Diplomacy

    President Ayub Khan paid a state visit and addressed a joint session of the US Congress on 12 July. (Office of the Historian, Visits by Foreign Leaders)

  24. March 20, 1962 · Diplomacy

    Walter Patrick McConaughy Jr. takes up post as US Ambassador to Pakistan. (Office of the Historian)

  25. 31 May 1962 · Assistance

    Agreement establishing a Peace Corps programme in Pakistan. (Treaties in Force)

  26. September 24, 1962 · Diplomacy

    President Ayub Khan in the United States: informal meeting at Newport (Rhode Island). (Office of the Historian)

  27. 29 Apr–2 May 1963 · Defence & security

    Secretary of State Dean Rusk in Karachi: CENTO Ministerial meeting. (Office of the Historian)

  28. Sep 1965 · Defence & security

    During the India-Pakistan war, the United States suspended military assistance to both countries. (Office of the Historian)

  29. 14 to 16 Dec 1965 · Diplomacy

    President Ayub Khan made a state visit to Washington. (Office of the Historian, Visits by Foreign Leaders)

  30. June 9, 1966 · Diplomacy

    Eugene Murphy Locke takes up post as US Ambassador to Pakistan. (Office of the Historian)

  31. August 16, 1967 · Diplomacy

    Benjamin Hilborn Oehlert takes up post as US Ambassador to Pakistan. (Office of the Historian)

  32. 23 Dec 1967 · Diplomacy

    President Lyndon B. Johnson stopped in Karachi to meet President Ayub Khan. (Office of the Historian, Travels of the President)

  33. 24–25 May 1969 · Diplomacy

    Secretary of State William P. Rogers in Lahore: met President Yahya Khan. (Office of the Historian)

  34. 1 to 2 Aug 1969 · Diplomacy

    President Richard Nixon made a state visit to Lahore. (Office of the Historian, Travels of the President)

  35. November 15, 1969 · Diplomacy

    Joseph Simpson Farland takes up post as US Ambassador to Pakistan. (Office of the Historian)

  36. October 24–25, 1970 · Diplomacy

    President Agha Muhammad Yahya Khan in the United States: attended White House dinner on 25th Anniversary of the U.N; met privately with President Nixon October 25. (Office of the Historian)

  37. Jul 1971 · Diplomacy

    Pakistan facilitated National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger's secret journey to Beijing, opening the way to US-China rapprochement. (Office of the Historian)

  38. May 1972 · Diplomacy

    Sidney Sober takes up post as US Chargé d'Affaires a.i. in Pakistan. (Office of the Historian)

  39. 18 Oct 1972 · People & education

    Agreement for financing educational exchange programmes, the basis of today's Fulbright programme. (Treaties in Force)

  40. September 18–20, 1973 · Diplomacy

    Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in the United States: official visit. (Office of the Historian)

  41. 10 Nov 1973 · Diplomacy

    Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger in Islamabad: met Prime Minister Bhutto. (Office of the Historian)

  42. December 5, 1973 · Diplomacy

    Henry Alfred Byroade takes up post as US Ambassador to Pakistan. (Office of the Historian)

  43. 31 Oct–1 Nov 1974 · Diplomacy

    Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger in Rawalpindi: met Prime Minister Bhutto. (Office of the Historian)

  44. February 4–7, 1975 · Diplomacy

    Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in the United States: official visit. (Office of the Historian)

  45. 8–9 Aug 1976 · Diplomacy

    Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger in Lahore: met Prime Minister Bhutto. (Office of the Historian)

  46. June 28, 1977 · Diplomacy

    Arthur William Hummel Jr. takes up post as US Ambassador to Pakistan. (Office of the Historian)

  47. Dec 1979 · Diplomacy

    The Soviet intervention in Afghanistan brought Pakistan and the United States into close coordination. (Office of the Historian)

  48. October 3, 1980 · Diplomacy

    President Muhammad Zia ul-Haq in the United States: private visit while attending U.N. (Office of the Historian)

  49. October 29, 1981 · Diplomacy

    Ronald Ian Spiers takes up post as US Ambassador to Pakistan. (Office of the Historian)

  50. 6 to 9 Dec 1982 · Diplomacy

    President Zia ul-Haq made a state visit to the United States. (Office of the Historian, Visits by Foreign Leaders)

  51. 6 Dec 1982 · People & education

    Joint commission on economic, commercial, scientific, technological, educational and cultural cooperation established. (Treaties in Force)

  52. 2 to 4 Jul 1983 · Diplomacy

    Secretary of State George Shultz visited Islamabad and an Afghan refugee camp near Peshawar. (Office of the Historian, Travels of the Secretary)

  53. December 26, 1983 · Diplomacy

    Deane Roesch Hinton takes up post as US Ambassador to Pakistan. (Office of the Historian)

  54. October 23, 1985 · Diplomacy

    President Muhammad Zia ul-Haq in the United States: met with President Reagan in New York City at reception and luncheon at the U.N. (Office of the Historian)

  55. 15 to 18 Jul 1986 · Diplomacy

    Prime Minister Muhammad Khan Junejo made an official visit. (Office of the Historian, Visits by Foreign Leaders)

  56. June 24, 1987 · Diplomacy

    Arnold Lewis Raphel takes up post as US Ambassador to Pakistan. (Office of the Historian)

  57. 17 Aug 1988 · Diplomacy

    US Ambassador Arnold Raphel died alongside President Zia in the air crash of that day; Secretary Shultz attended the state funeral. (Office of the Historian, Chiefs of Mission Office of the Historian, Travels of the Secretary)

  58. September 1, 1988 · Diplomacy

    Robert Bigger Oakley takes up post as US Ambassador to Pakistan. (Office of the Historian)

  59. 5 to 7 Jun 1989 · Diplomacy

    Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto made an official visit to Washington. (Office of the Historian, Visits by Foreign Leaders)

  60. Oct 1990 · Defence & security

    Most US economic and all military assistance to Pakistan was suspended under the Pressler Amendment to the Foreign Assistance Act. (State Department Background Note, 1997)

  61. October 24, 1991 · Diplomacy

    Nicholas Platt takes up post as US Ambassador to Pakistan. (Office of the Historian)

  62. November 10, 1992 · Diplomacy

    John Cameron Monjo takes up post as US Ambassador to Pakistan. (Office of the Historian)

  63. May 23–27, 1994 · Diplomacy

    President Farooq Leghari in the United States: met with President Clinton during a private visit. (Office of the Historian)

  64. 9 to 11 Apr 1995 · Diplomacy

    Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto made an official working visit. (Office of the Historian, Visits by Foreign Leaders)

  65. January 25, 1996 · Diplomacy

    Thomas W. Simons Jr. takes up post as US Ambassador to Pakistan. (Office of the Historian)

  66. 10 Apr 1997 · Trade & investment

    Air transport agreement signed in Rawalpindi. (Treaties in Force)

  67. September 22, 1997 · Multilateral

    Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the United States: met with President Clinton at the UN General Assembly in New York City. (Office of the Historian)

  68. 17 to 18 Nov 1997 · Diplomacy

    Secretary of State Madeleine Albright visited Islamabad and Peshawar. (Office of the Historian, Travels of the Secretary)

  69. 18 Nov 1997 · Trade & investment

    Investment incentive agreement signed, opening US government investment insurance and finance. (Treaties in Force)

  70. September 10, 1998 · Diplomacy

    William B. Milam takes up post as US Ambassador to Pakistan. (Office of the Historian)

  71. September 21, 1998 · Diplomacy

    Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the United States: met with President Clinton at the U.N. (Office of the Historian)

  72. December 1, 1998 · Diplomacy

    Prime Minister Mohammed Nawaz Sharif in the United States: official working visit. (Office of the Historian)

  73. July 4–5, 1999 · Diplomacy

    Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the United States: private visit; talks with President Clinton. (Office of the Historian)

  74. 25 Mar 2000 · Diplomacy

    President Clinton visited Islamabad and delivered a radio address to the people of Pakistan. (Office of the Historian, Travels of the President)

  75. September 13, 2001 · Diplomacy

    Wendy Jean Chamberlin takes up post as US Ambassador to Pakistan. (Office of the Historian)

  76. 15 to 16 Oct 2001 · Defence & security

    Secretary of State Colin Powell visited Islamabad to discuss counterterrorism cooperation with President Pervez Musharraf. (Office of the Historian, Travels of the Secretary)

  77. November 10, 2001 · Multilateral

    President Pervez Musharraf in the United States: met with President Bush at the UN General Assembly in New York City. (Office of the Historian)

  78. 15–17 Jan 2002 · Diplomacy

    Secretary of State Colin L. Powell in Islamabad: met President Musharraf. (Office of the Historian)

  79. February 12–14, 2002 · Diplomacy

    President Pervez Musharraf in the United States: official Working Visit. (Office of the Historian)

  80. 28 Jul 2002 · Diplomacy

    Secretary of State Colin L. Powell in Islamabad: met President Musharraf. (Office of the Historian)

  81. August 16, 2002 · Diplomacy

    Nancy Jo Powell takes up post as US Ambassador to Pakistan. (Office of the Historian)

  82. September 12, 2002 · Multilateral

    President Pervez Musharraf in the United States: met with President Bush at the UN General Assembly in New York City. (Office of the Historian)

  83. June 23–27, 2003 · Diplomacy

    President Pervez Musharraf in the United States: working visit. (Office of the Historian)

  84. 25 Jun 2003 · Trade & investment

    Trade and investment framework agreement (TIFA) and a science and technology cooperation agreement signed in Washington. (Treaties in Force)

  85. September 24, 2003 · Multilateral

    President Pervez Musharraf in the United States: met with President Bush at the UN General Assembly in New York City. (Office of the Historian)

  86. September 30–October 4, 2003 · Diplomacy

    Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali in the United States: working visit. (Office of the Historian)

  87. 17–18 Mar 2004 · Diplomacy

    Secretary of State Colin L. Powell in Islamabad: met President Musharraf and Foreign Minister Kasuri. (Office of the Historian)

  88. 16 Jun 2004 · Defence & security

    President George W. Bush designated Pakistan a Major Non-NATO Ally. (White House, Presidential Determination)

  89. September 21–22, 2004 · Multilateral

    President Pervez Musharraf in the United States: met with President Bush at the UN General Assembly in New York City. (Office of the Historian)

  90. November 25, 2004 · Diplomacy

    Ryan Clark Crocker takes up post as US Ambassador to Pakistan. (Office of the Historian)

  91. December 3–4, 2004 · Diplomacy

    President Pervez Musharraf in the United States: working visit. (Office of the Historian)

  92. 16–18 Mar 2005 · Diplomacy

    Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Islamabad: met President Musharraf. (Office of the Historian)

  93. 12 Oct 2005 · Assistance

    Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Islamabad: earthquake relief. (Office of the Historian)

  94. January 22–24, 2006 · Diplomacy

    Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in the United States: working visit. (Office of the Historian)

  95. 3 to 4 Mar 2006 · Diplomacy

    President Bush visited Islamabad; the two presidents issued a Joint Statement on the US-Pakistan Strategic Partnership and launched a Strategic Dialogue. (Public Papers of the Presidents White House fact sheet)

  96. 27–28 Jun 2006 · Diplomacy

    Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Islamabad: met President Musharraf and Foreign Minister Kasuri. (Office of the Historian)

  97. September 20–22, 2006 · Diplomacy

    President Pervez Musharraf in the United States: working visit. (Office of the Historian)

  98. 30 Apr 2007 · Trade & investment

    Customs mutual assistance agreement signed at Port Qasim. (Treaties in Force)

  99. July 31, 2007 · Diplomacy

    Anne Woods Patterson takes up post as US Ambassador to Pakistan. (Office of the Historian)

  100. July 27–30, 2008 · Diplomacy

    Prime Minister Yousuf Gilani in the United States: working visit. (Office of the Historian)

  101. September 23, 2008 · Multilateral

    President Asif Zardari in the United States: met with President Bush at the UN General Assembly in New York City. (Office of the Historian)

  102. 4 Dec 2008 · Diplomacy

    Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Islamabad: met President Zardari. (Office of the Historian)

  103. May 6, 2009 · Diplomacy

    President Asif Ali Zardari in the United States: working Visit. (Office of the Historian)

  104. September 24–25, 2009 · Multilateral

    President Asif Zardari in the United States: attended a meeting of the Friends of Democratic Pakistan Summit in New York City. (Office of the Historian)

  105. 15 Oct 2009 · Assistance

    The Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009 (Kerry-Lugar-Berman) became law, authorising $7.5 billion in civilian assistance over five years. (Public Law 111-73, GovInfo)

  106. April 11–13, 2010 · Multilateral

    Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani in the United States: attended the Nuclear Security Summit. (Office of the Historian)

  107. 18 to 19 Jul 2010 · Assistance

    Secretary Hillary Clinton attended a Strategic Dialogue meeting in Islamabad and announced a series of assistance agreements. (Office of the Historian, Travels of the Secretary)

  108. 30 Sep 2010 · Assistance

    Pakistan Enhanced Partnership Agreement signed, implementing the 2009 Act. (Treaties in Force)

  109. October 27, 2010 · Diplomacy

    Cameron Phelps Munter takes up post as US Ambassador to Pakistan. (Office of the Historian)

  110. January 14, 2011 · Diplomacy

    President Asif Ali Zardari in the United States: attended the Richard Holbrooke Memorial Service. (Office of the Historian)

  111. 27 May 2011 · Diplomacy

    Secretary of State Hillary R. Clinton in Islamabad: met President Zardari and senior leaders. (Office of the Historian)

  112. 22 Sep 2011 · Multilateral

    Pakistan and the United States are among the founding members of the Global Counterterrorism Forum. (State Dept)

  113. 20–21 Oct 2011 · Diplomacy

    Secretary of State Hillary R. Clinton in Islamabad: met Prime Minister Gilani, Foreign Minister Khar, President Zardari. (Office of the Historian)

  114. May 21, 2012 · Multilateral

    President Asif Zardari in the United States: met with President Obama at the NATO Summit Meeting in Chicago, IL. (Office of the Historian)

  115. 18 Sep 2012 · Assistance

    Activity agreement for the Peshawar-Torkham road. (Treaties in Force)

  116. October 31, 2012 · Diplomacy

    Richard Gustave Olson Jr. takes up post as US Ambassador to Pakistan. (Office of the Historian)

  117. 31 Jul–2 Aug 2013 · Diplomacy

    Secretary of State John F. Kerry in Islamabad: met President Zardari and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. (Office of the Historian)

  118. 20 to 23 Oct 2013 · Diplomacy

    Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif made a working visit to Washington; he returned on 22 October 2015. (Office of the Historian, Visits by Foreign Leaders)

  119. 27 Jan 2014 · Diplomacy

    The ministerial Strategic Dialogue, interrupted in 2011, resumed in Washington. (State Dept archive)

  120. 12 to 14 Jan 2015 · Diplomacy

    Secretary John Kerry attended the US-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue ministerial in Islamabad. (Office of the Historian, Travels of the Secretary)

  121. October 22, 2015 · Diplomacy

    Prime Minister Mohammed Nawaz Sharif in the United States: official Working Visit. (Office of the Historian)

  122. December 3, 2015 · Diplomacy

    David Hale takes up post as US Ambassador to Pakistan. (Office of the Historian)

  123. 29 Feb to 1 Mar 2016 · Diplomacy

    Sixth and latest ministerial round of the Strategic Dialogue in Washington, led by Sartaj Aziz and John Kerry. (State Dept joint statement)

  124. 24 Oct 2017 · Diplomacy

    Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson in Islamabad: met senior officials. (Office of the Historian)

  125. 5 Sep 2018 · Defence & security

    Secretary Mike Pompeo met Prime Minister Imran Khan and Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa in Islamabad. (Office of the Historian, Travels of the Secretary)

  126. September 22, 2018 · Diplomacy

    Paul Wayne Jones takes up post as US Chargé d'Affaires a.i. in Pakistan. (Office of the Historian)

  127. 11 Jan 2019 · Diplomacy

    Ambassador Asad Majeed Khan presents credentials at the White House. (Embassy of Pakistan)

  128. 21 to 23 Jul 2019 · Diplomacy

    Prime Minister Imran Khan made an official working visit to the White House. (Office of the Historian, Visits by Foreign Leaders)

  129. Sep 2020 · Diplomacy

    Angela P. Aggeler leads the US Embassy as Chargé d'Affaires a.i., until her farewell calls in May 2022. (ISSI)

  130. May 2022 · Diplomacy

    Donald A. Blome arrives as US Ambassador, the first full-time ambassador in Islamabad since 2018. (Dawn)

  131. 26 Sep 2022 · Assistance

    Secretary Antony Blinken and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari marked the 75th anniversary of relations in Washington, alongside US flood relief for Pakistan. (US Department of State MOFA Pakistan)

  132. 23 Feb 2023 · Trade & investment

    Ninth TIFA Council ministerial meeting in Washington. (USTR)

  133. 15 Mar 2023 · Diplomacy

    US-Pakistan Energy Security Dialogue under the Green Alliance framework. (US Embassy)

  134. Aug 2024 · Diplomacy

    Rizwan Saeed Sheikh assumes charge as Pakistan's Ambassador in Washington. (Dawn)

  135. Jan 2025 · Diplomacy

    Natalie A. Baker assumes the duties of US Chargé d'Affaires in Islamabad. (US Embassy)

  136. 10 May 2025 · Diplomacy

    The State Department announced the India-Pakistan ceasefire after US contacts with both sides. (US Department of State)

  137. 18 Jun 2025 · Diplomacy

    President Donald Trump hosted Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for lunch at the White House. (Geo News, citing ISPR)

  138. 25 Jul 2025 · Defence & security

    Secretary Rubio met Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Washington, their first in-person meeting, covering trade, critical minerals and counterterrorism. (US Department of State MOFA Pakistan)

  139. 31 Jul 2025 · Trade & investment

    The US sets a 19% reciprocal tariff on Pakistani goods, down from an announced 29%. (Dawn)

  140. 12 Aug 2025 · Defence & security

    The Counterterrorism Dialogue met in Islamabad. (US Department of State)

  141. 8 Sep 2025 · Trade & investment

    US Strategic Metals and Pakistan's Frontier Works Organization sign a critical-minerals MoU. (Dawn)

  142. 25 Sep 2025 · Diplomacy

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Munir met President Trump in the Oval Office. (Dawn)

  143. Oct 2025 · Trade & investment

    First consignment of rare earths and critical minerals shipped to the United States. (USSM)

  144. 8 Dec 2025 · Defence & security

    US notifies Congress of a possible F-16 sustainment and modernisation package. (Dawn)

  145. 22 Jan 2026 · Multilateral

    Pakistan signed the Board of Peace charter at Davos and was named a founding member. (Dawn)

  146. 28 Jan 2026 · Multilateral

    Pakistan Navy takes command of Combined Task Force 150 in the US-led Combined Maritime Forces. (CMF)

  147. Feb 2026 · Trade & investment

    Pakistan takes part in the Critical Minerals Ministerial in Washington. (State Dept)

  148. 20 Feb 2026 · Trade & investment

    US Supreme Court rules that emergency-powers law does not authorise tariffs, ending the 19% reciprocal rate. (Supreme Court)

  149. 26 Mar 2026 · People & education

    Congressional Pakistan Caucus co-chairs host a bipartisan policy symposium at the Capitol. (Office of Rep. Suozzi)

  150. 11 to 12 Apr 2026 · Multilateral

    Pakistan hosted the Islamabad Talks between a US delegation led by Vice President J.D. Vance and an Iranian delegation. (MOFA Pakistan MOFA Pakistan)

  151. May 2026 · Diplomacy

    The State Department announces a phased closure of the US Consulate General in Peshawar. (Dawn)

  152. 18 Jun 2026 · Multilateral

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and Iran had been signed electronically, with Pakistan as mediator; Pakistan and Qatar then convened the first follow-up committee meeting in Switzerland on 21 June. (MOFA Pakistan briefing)

  153. 9 Jul 2026 · Trade & investment

    Washington round of negotiations on a bilateral Agreement on Reciprocal Trade. (Express Tribune)

  154. 17 Jul 2026 · Diplomacy

    The US Consulate General in Peshawar closes; its work moves to the Embassy in Islamabad. (ProPakistani)

  155. Aug 2026 · People & education

    Fulbright-HEC partnership renewed for five years. (Radio Pakistan)

  156. 4 Aug 2026 · Defence & security

    Fourth round of the Counterterrorism Dialogue in Washington. (MOFA Pakistan, joint statement)

  157. 20 Oct 2026 · Trade & investment

    Pakistan's Commerce Secretary reports substantial progress on the reciprocal trade agreement. (Profit)

  158. 23 Oct 2026 · Diplomacy

    Pakistan's Foreign Office reaffirms commitment to diplomatic, economic and security ties with Washington. (MOFA)

Themes are assigned by IPDS from each entry's subject; an event can bear on several, and is listed under its main one. The full chronology is in the downloadable dataset.

Quick Answers

Pakistan-US Relations: Frequently Asked Questions

Short answers to the questions most often asked about Pakistan-USA relations, each drawn from the sourced sections above.

When did Pakistan and the United States establish diplomatic relations?

On 15 August 1947, the day Pakistan became independent. President Truman congratulated Governor-General Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and the US opened its embassy in Karachi the same day; the United States was one of the first two countries to recognise Pakistan.

Is Pakistan a major non-NATO ally of the United States?

Yes. President George W. Bush designated Pakistan a Major Non-NATO Ally on 16 June 2004 (Presidential Determination, 69 FR 38797).

How much aid has the United States given Pakistan?

ForeignAssistance.gov records $30,724 million in US obligations from FY1948 to FY2025 ($22,179 million economic, $8,545 million military, in current dollars). The Congressional Research Service, which also counts Coalition Support Fund reimbursements, gives $34,854 million for FY2002 to FY2022 alone.

How large is trade between Pakistan and the United States?

US goods trade with Pakistan was about $8.5 billion in 2025: US exports of $3.1 billion and imports from Pakistan of $5.4 billion, according to the US Census Bureau. The United States is Pakistan's largest single-country export market.

Who is Pakistan's ambassador to the United States?

Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, who assumed charge in Washington in 2024. The US Embassy in Islamabad has been led by Chargé d'Affaires Natalie A. Baker since January 2025.

Where are the Pakistani and US embassies and consulates?

Pakistan has an embassy in Washington, D.C. and consulates in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Houston. The United States has an embassy in Islamabad and consulates general in Karachi and Lahore; its consulate in Peshawar closed on 17 July 2026.

How many agreements are in force between Pakistan and the United States?

The State Department's Treaties in Force lists 59 bilateral treaties and agreements with Pakistan: 53 concluded since 1947 and six earlier US-UK or British-India instruments that apply by succession.

How many Pakistani students study in the United States?

13,165 in the 2024/25 academic year, up 19.8% on the year, making Pakistan the 13th-largest source of international students in the US (Open Doors 2025).

What are the main issues in Pakistan-US relations in 2026?

A bilateral Agreement on Reciprocal Trade under negotiation, critical-minerals investment, counterterrorism cooperation through the annual Counterterrorism Dialogue, and Pakistan's role as a mediator between the United States and Iran.

Into the Archive

Primary Documents

The original texts behind the landmarks: treaties, joint statements, laws and determinations, linked to the official publication that holds them.

DateDocument (opens the original)Published in
15 Aug 1947US recognition of Pakistan and establishment of relationsOffice of the Historian
19 May 1954Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement, KarachiForeign Relations of the United States, 1952–54
8 Sep 1954Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty (Manila Pact)UN Treaty Series, No. 2819
5 Mar 1959Agreement of Cooperation between the United States and Pakistan, AnkaraUN Treaty Series, No. 5816
1946–2019All 59 bilateral treaties and agreements in forceState Department, Treaties in Force
16 Jun 2004Presidential Determination designating Pakistan a Major Non-NATO AllyFederal Register, 69 FR 38797
4 Mar 2006Joint Statement on the United States-Pakistan Strategic PartnershipPublic Papers of the Presidents
15 Oct 2009Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-73)GovInfo
26 Sep 2022Remarks marking the 75th anniversary of relationsState Department archive
23 Feb 2023Joint Statement, 9th TIFA Council ministerialUSTR
15 Mar 2023Joint Statement, Energy Security DialogueUS Embassy Islamabad
10 May 2025Statement announcing the India-Pakistan ceasefireState Department
12 Aug 2025Joint Statement, Counterterrorism Dialogue (Islamabad)State Department
12 Apr 2026Remarks at the conclusion of the Islamabad TalksMinistry of Foreign Affairs
5 Aug 2026Joint Statement, Fourth Counterterrorism Dialogue (Washington)Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Open Data

Data & Downloads

Every table on this page, and more, as files you can use: trade, aid, remittances, investment, agreements, envoys, visits and the full chronology.

Cite this dataset: IPDS Centre for American Studies (2026). Pakistan-United States Relations Dataset, version 1.0 (3 November 2026). Islamabad: Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies. https://ipd.org.pk/wp-content/uploads/ipds-data/pakistan-us/v1.0/
Version 1.0, released 3 November 2026. Each release keeps its own address, so a citation always points to the data as cited. Free to use with attribution.
How This Page Was Built

Sources & Methodology

Each fact on this page is linked to where it came from. Official records of the two governments were consulted first; institutional datasets (Open Doors, the IMF, Combined Maritime Forces) are used where governments do not publish the figure; news reports are cited only where no official text exists, and are labelled as such. Statistics are dated and attributed to the agency that publishes them. US data run on calendar years, Pakistani data on July–June fiscal years, so the two are not mixed in one series.

Archived official pages. When an administration ends, the State Department moves its pages to an official archive site (2001-2009.state.gov, 2009-2017.state.gov, 2021-2025.state.gov). Documents from earlier administrations are cited there because that is where the Department keeps them; they are official records, not mirrors. Every link on this page was checked when it was last revised.

Rosters and counts. The agreements list is complete for the State Department's 2020 register; the ambassadors' roster is an IPDS compilation, because no consolidated official register is published; trade and aid figures are rounded once and totals are computed from the rounded parts.

Some government pages (the State Bank of Pakistan's statistical tables, parts of state.gov) block automated access and were checked through their published summaries; the most recent complete text of Treaties in Force that could be read was the 2020 edition, and the 2025 edition is linked for comparison. Facts that could not be confirmed, such as the status of the US Consulate in Peshawar or a September 2026 leaders' meeting at the UN, are flagged or left out rather than assumed.

This is a living reference, revised as agreements, visits and data are published. Spotted an error or a more current primary source? Suggest a correction.

How to cite: IPDS Centre for American Studies, "Pakistan-United States Relations: A Reference, 1947 to the Present," Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies, Islamabad, last revised November 2026. https://ipd.org.pk/research-publications/pakistan-us-relations-tracker/

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