US, Pakistan Discuss Establishing Commodities Market to Boost Agriculture Sector

In a meeting between U.S. and Pakistani officials, discussions centered on the creation of a commodities market in Pakistan to enhance the country’s agriculture sector. Pakistan’s Finance Minister, Muhammad Aurangzeb, met with Kevin Piccoli, Deputy Director of the U.S. Commodity Future Trading Commission (CFTC), to explore the collaboration between Pakistan’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SECP) and the CFTC. The initiative aims to strengthen Pakistan’s commodities futures market through capacity-building and regulatory improvements. Aurangzeb emphasized agriculture’s vital role in Pakistan’s economy, noting that the sector grew by 6.25% in FY2024 and remains a key contributor to GDP alongside information technology.