US Imposes New Tariffs on 60 Trading Partners, Including Pakistan

The United States announced new import tariffs on 60 trading partners, including Pakistan, India, China, and the European Union, citing concerns over forced labour practices. The new duties, which take effect on Friday, replace the temporary global tariff introduced earlier this year.

 

The tariffs range between 10% and 12.5%, with Pakistan among the countries subject to a 10% duty. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the measures are intended to encourage trading partners to strengthen enforcement against forced labour, noting that the affected economies account for the majority of US trade.

 

The latest tariffs follow a months long investigation and were introduced after the US Supreme Court struck down a number of earlier tariff measures, prompting the Trump administration to adopt a new legal framework considered more resilient to judicial challenges.

 

Alongside Pakistan, countries including Argentina, Bangladesh, Britain, Canada, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, and Sri Lanka will face a 10% tariff, while China and 37 other economies will be subject to 12.5% duties. The European Union, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Switzerland will face effective tariff rates of 10% or 12.5%, including existing most-favoured-nation duties.

 

Pakistan had submitted detailed responses to the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) during the investigation, including additional submissions ahead of recent trade discussions on forced labour concerns.

 

Several affected countries criticised the move, while US officials said products already subject to sector-specific tariffs, such as steel and aluminium, along with certain energy products, fertilisers, and goods covered under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, will remain exempt. Analysts said the measures reinforce the administration's protectionist trade agenda while preserving leverage in ongoing trade negotiations.