Ambassador of Pakistan to United States (US), Masood Khan said that Pakistani diaspora in the US is a national asset and equal partner in socio-economic development of Pakistan.
These views were expressed by him while addressing prominent members of Pakistani American community on his first official visit to Los Angeles. The event was organized by Council of Pakistan, a non-profit community organization promoting interests of Pakistan and Pakistani Americans in the U.S.
Ambassador Masood Khan lauded the exceptional achievements of the Pakistani Americans in the U.S., particularly in the State of California. He said that they have made both Pakistan and the U.S. proud with their innovative and entrepreneurial spirit and acted as a strong bridge between the two countries. Even if everything else fails, he added, this bond would not.
The Ambassador noted that recently there had been positive developments in Pakistan-U.S. relations and the leadership of the two countries had decided to collaborate more closely in the economic realm encompassing trade, investment, alternate energy, health, agriculture and tech industry. He underscored that the momentum in the bilateral relations provided a window of opportunity to investors to strengthen economic partnerships between the two countries.
In this regard, he added, diaspora could play an important role by scaling up their businesses in Pakistan. He also urged them to play their role in increasing exports of IT products and services from Pakistan to the U.S. He noted that despite odds, trade volume between the two countries was growing as Pakistan’s exports to the U.S. jumped from US$ 7 to 9 billion last year.
Ambassador Masood also commended the active role of the Pakistani community in recently concluded congressional election in which they supported candidates from both sides and one of the prominent Pakistanis for the first-time contested elections for the U.S. House of Representatives from a key district of California. He also thanked the community members for providing $ 4.7 million for Covid vaccines to Pakistan and contributing to flood relief efforts by donating US$ 1.5 million, out of which $ 1 million had already been remitted to Pakistan.
The Ambassador also underlined the high priority attached by the Government of Pakistan to the welfare of the overseas Pakistanis.—INP
