Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Masood Khan says a positive momentum in Pakistan-U.S. relationship has created opportunities for closer cooperation in trade, investment, climate change, and regional peace and stability.
Speaking at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, he said that both the countries are now moving towards a diverse, broad-based partnership, focusing on trade and investment, education, climate change, IT and agricultural cooperation.
Highlighting the depth and longevity of Pakistan-U.S bilateral ties, he said that the cooperation is poised to grow stronger in the future.
Tracing the history of Pakistan-U.S. relations, the Ambassador noted that the two countries had cooperation in areas of economy, security and people-to people exchanges from the early stages to lay the foundations of a strong partnership. He said that both countries partnered during the cold war and on war against terrorism.
The Ambassador noted that the positive momentum in the Pak-US relationship has created new avenues for cooperation, particularly in the economic realm. He said that the bilateral trade between the two countries had been growing fast. The U.S. remained the largest export market for Pakistan, and last year Pakistan’s exports to the U.S. increased from 7 to 9 billion dollars.
Highlighting the devastation caused by the climate-induced floods in Pakistan, he also appreciated the assistance of 97 million dollars provided by the U.S. for flood relief efforts. However, he added, more assistance is required from the international community for long-term rehabilitation and reconstruction.
Speaking on the role of youth in Pakistan-U.S. relations, the Ambassador said that the Pakistani American youth can act as a super connector between the two nations. Being tech-savvy, the young generation could use social media to raise awareness on positives in Pakistan-U.S. relations. He said that the Government of Pakistan is investing and empowering its youth to become the leaders of tomorrow.
Source: Radio Pakistan