WASHINGTON, Sep 05 (APP): Pakistan and the United States have succeeded in developing and retaining their cooperation in the realm of security and expansion of economic ties following intense efforts over the past two years, Ambassador Masood Khan has said.
Speaking at Global Santa Fe, a think-tank of the US state of New Mexico, he said although the Biden administration has withdrawn its troops from Afghanistan and decreased its footprint in that region, the threat of terrorism was still potent, as TTP terrorists were killing Pakistanis.
The event in Santa Fe was chaired by the President of the Global Santa Fe, Mark Asquino,
“We have lost more than 1500 people since US withdrew its troops from Afghanistan,” he told the gathering of academics, members of thin-tanks, former diplomats and community leaders.
“But,”, he said, “the United States and Pakistan have resolved to eliminate this menace together through cooperation in counter-terrorism,”
Pakistan and United States, Masood Khan said have a shared responsibility to steer Afghanistan towards stabilization because the stability that entire region depends on the stableness in Afghanistan.
“So it is a common objective.”
The withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan was a traumatic experience for the United States as well as for the region, he said.
“There was uncertainty following that about Pakistan-United States relations,” the ambassador said, declaring that that uncertainty has been removed.
“The US and Pakistan are now fully engaged”, he said.
“The doubters and skeptics at that time said that Pakistan-US relations have no future. The Biden Administration and Pakistan Government have proved the doubters wrong. We have re-engaged and recalibrated our relationship. We have brought this relationship back to an even keel.”
Recounting $450 million Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Pakistan for F-16 sustainment and related equipment, the biggest donation of COVID vaccines during the pandemic and generous assistance during last year’s devastating floods, Masood Khan said, “We need to reinvest in the relationship with immense energy so that it is beneficial for our peoples.”
He also referred to the recent high-level engagements and dialogues on climate change, renewable energy, health, anti-narcotics and counter-terrorism that clearly suggest a new phase of Pakistan-US relations in the post withdrawal period.
Masood Khan stressed the need for promoting people-to-people contacts and strengthening economic, trade and investment ties, terming it the future of the relationship.
He invited entrepreneurs and business community to invest in Pakistani startups, science, engineering, technology, extractive industry, healthcare, pharmaceuticals and others for reaping benefit of a large market of Pakistan and its surrounding region.
He also lauded New Mexico’s top leadership for its strong support to Pakistani community and providing them with an enabling environment to get themselves integrated into the mainstream.
Masood Khan said that he was encourage by positive response toward the idea for establishing sister-city agreement to institutionalize relations at the state level.
He expressed the hope that his exploratory visit, the first-ever visit to New Mexico by a Pakistani Ambassador, would help promoting people-to-people exchanges and cementing economic ties with New Mexico.