According to well-informed sources, the United States has decided to send a delegation from the Treasury Department to Pakistan to assess the country’s economic situation, the prospects of a new IMF program, and the overall business and investment climate.

The move comes after the recent visit of Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi, who unfortunately passed away in a helicopter accident last month, and the important visit of the Pakistani Prime Minister to China.

The sources revealed that the US Embassy in Islamabad has informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) that a delegation from the Department of Treasury, led by Deputy Under Secretary/Assistant Secretary Brent Neiman, will visit Islamabad on June 12-13, 2024.

The delegation will also include Alex Entz, Senior Advisor, and Colin Mahoney, Deputy Director for South and Southeast Asia.

The purpose of the visit is to hold one-on-one and delegation-level meetings to gather insider and official information to evaluate Pakistan’s financial and economic position, current challenges, and the country’s strategy to address these challenges, particularly in the financial and energy sectors.

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Prior to the delegation’s visit, the top US diplomat in Islamabad, Donald Blome, has recently held a series of meetings with the Foreign Minister/Deputy Prime Minister, Ishaq Dar, and the Finance Minister, Muhammad Aurangzeb, before their departure to Beijing as key members of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s entourage. The Chief of Army Staff, General Asim Munir, also joined the delegations in crucial meetings with the Chinese President and Prime Minister.

The primary point of contact for the US Embassy’s visit is Robert Newsome, Deputy Economic Counselor, and Shadman Mawaz Khan, Economic Specialist.

The United States had previously reacted strongly to Islamabad and Tehran’s desire to build the long-delayed gas pipeline and enhance bilateral trade, and the US has offered cooperation to meet Pakistan’s energy needs through alternate sources.