US-Pakistan relations should not be made hostage to short-term interests: Ambassador Chaudhry

TEXAS, May 7 (APP):Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry has met top state officials in the state of Texas and highlighted importance for the United States and Pakistan to working together for shared objectives, saying bilateral relations spanned over 70 years should not made hostage to short-term interests.
The Ambassador was in Texas, a large southern US state which has a heavy population of Pakistani Americans, to meet the community members and apprise them of the economic opportunities that have arisen mainly due to China Pakistan Economic Corridor project, which has given a boost to the much-needed foreign investment in the country.
He also met Congressman Pete Sessions, Chairman of House Rules Committee and the Secretary of State of Texas Ronaldo Pablo and had in-depth and frank discussions with them.
In his discussions, the Ambassador succinctly laid out Pakistan’s view on bilateral and regional situation urging that seventy years of bilateral relations should not be put aside for short term interests. Pakistan was open to deeper and wider engagement with US and hoped that this sentiment would be equally reciprocated.
The Ambassador was visiting Texas as part of his ongoing outreach to the Pakistani American community as well as US officials hailing from the second largest State in the country.
He held an interactive dialogue with a cross section of the community in Houston on this week. The Dialogue on “Diaspora Role in strengthening Pak -US relations” was hosted by the International Academy of Letters.
Members of the Houston community greatly appreciated this lively interactive dialogue and made several useful suggestions to the Ambassador for strengthening this important role.
Accompanied by Consul General of Houston Aisha Farooqui, the Ambassador laid out his vision of the increasing role of our community in every sphere of activity in the US.
Ambassador Chaudhry also held important meetings in Dallas at Pak America Business Forum on economic and investment opportunities in Pakistan.
He informed the audience that unlike the doom and gloom stories carried by the media, the political and economic reality of Pakistan was far more stable and on a positive trajectory.
It was therefore important to visit Pakistan and seek out opportunities for closer and mutually profitable linkages, he added.
The Consul General also informed the audience on the role played by her office to connect businesses in Pakistan and the US and invited Pakistani American businessmen to reach out to the Consulate for information and assistance.