Islamabad: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has stated that Pakistan wants to further augment its bilateral relations with the United States in the fields of economy, investment, and trade.

Talking to US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome in Islamabad, he said the two countries have historic, long-standing, extensive, and durable relations.

The finance minister apprised the ambassador about the estimated losses faced by Pakistan due to recent devastating floods and appreciated the US support for flood relief activities.

Donald Blome expressed the same sentiments on bilateral relations between the United States and Pakistan.

He also informed about his recent visit to flood-affected areas and expressed sympathy for the enormous losses caused by floods.

The recent floods in Pakistan have affected 33 million people, many lost their homes, jobs, and businesses, large number of cattle and crops are devastated, tens of thousands people are still homeless. Pakistan estimates the total losses from its recent floods could be as high as $40bn – $10bn more than the government’s initial estimate.