In this Sept 10, 2010 photo, the flag of Pakistan representing a 9/11 victim from the country, flies amongst American flags placed in the ground to honor the victims of the Sept 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York, US. (PHOTO / AFP)

WASHINGTON – Pakistan is looking for breakthroughs in agriculture and information technology during the first ministerial level meeting of a US-Pakistani trade and investment body in seven years, Pakistan's commerce minister said on Tuesday.

Commerce Minister Syed Naveed Qamar will meet on Thursday with US Trade Representative Katherine Tai and other senior US officials under the US-Pakistan Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA).

Qamar told Reuters the meeting would strengthen ties between the two countries that had been strained in recent years by political tensions, and could help boost bilateral trade in goods and services, which the Pakistani embassy said now totaled about $12 billion.

What we don't want is for one country to have an open field. We want that this should be an open competitive environment.

Syed Naveed Qamar, Commerce Minister, Pakistan

"It is important that we start talking," he said. "These were supposed to be annual meetings, but for one reason or another, they have been on the backburner for so long. Now that we are starting, there are many areas where we expect some breakthroughs, and that is on both sides."

No comment was immediately available from Tai's office, which included the meeting in its public calendar.

Qamar said Pakistan was looking to increase its exports of mangoes to the US, and ensure smooth, increased trade in information technology and computer programming services. The US side was looking to boost exports of beef and soybeans.

"When we talk about trade, we're talking about the entire spectrum, but we're focusing on these things because that's where things would start happening right away," he said.

Pakistan also hoped to attract more US investment, with a particular focus on IT and pharmaceuticals, after a long lull, he said. "What we don't want is for one country to have an open field. We want that this should be an open competitive environment," he said.

Pakistan was well-placed to help diversify US supply chains. It could serve as a gateway to Central Asia, Qamar added.