Effective US-Pak cooperation defeated Al-Qaeda’s evil forces: Ambassador Chaudhry

PITTSBURG, Feb.22 (APP):Pakistan and the United States worked together to defeat the evil forces of Al-Qaeda and must continue their cooperation to fight the menace of terrorism and ensure peace and stability in South Asia, Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said here.
The Ambassador was in Pittsburg in the US state of Pennsylvania for public talk at the prestigious Carnegie Mellon University and at the World Affairs Council. He also addressed a gathering of the Pakistani American community in Pittsburg.
Emphasized the need for strong Pakistan-U.S. relations, the Ambassador recalled that the two countries have a long history of friendship and collaboration in a broad range of areas from education, health, commerce, information technology, and above all, in fighting the global threat of terrorism.
He particularly mentioned about the effective cooperation between Pakistan and the United States in defeating the evil forces of Al-Qaeda and said the two countries needed to work together to achieve the common objective of peace and stability in the region, especially Afghanistan.
The Ambassador underlined that Pakistan had been on the forefront of fighting global terrorism and made great sacrifices to defeat extremism and purge the country of terrorists who are now on the run and have taken refuge in Afghanistan.
Ambassador Chaudhry said that Pakistan successes both in security and economic domains must be recognized and appreciated and the nation expect the Pakistan-US relationship to be based on mutual respect and trust.
He noted with appreciation the growing bilateral trade and investment ties, and the interest that corporate America was taking in the economic opportunities being unleashed in Pakistan due to recent upswing in the economy of Pakistan.
Addressing “Distinguished Speaker’s Luncheon Series” at the World Affairs Council, where he was welcomed by the institution’s President Ms. Angelica Ocampo, the Ambassador highlighted the achievements and sacrifices of Pakistan in the fight against terrorism.
He said that Pakistan had made concrete progress in eradicating the scourge of terrorism from the soil of Pakistan. Terrorists are now on the run, and through intelligence-based operation Rad-ul-Fasaad the remaining terrorist elements are being tracked down.
Referring to the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan, the Ambassador expressed the concern that the instability in Afghanistan could undermine the peace and stability of the region.
During a Question-Answer session, the Ambassador emphasized that there was no military solution to the Afghan problem, and urged a comprehensive political approach to achieve a lasting peace in Afghanistan.
He highlighted the role that effective border management could play in interdicting the cross border movement of terrorists. He also urged the early repatriation of Afghan refugees as increasingly Taliban and other militants were morphing into the refugee camps.
The Ambassador also addressed the Pakistani American community at a separate gathering where he appreciated their important contributions to the progress and prosperity of the United States.
He said that Pakistani diaspora was serving as a strong bridge between Pakistan and the United States. He also noted Pakistani diasporas increasing participation in political life of their adopted homeland.
He assured them that the Embassy and the four consulates remain committed to serving the consular needs of the community. He also appreciated the role of the community in promoting the values of tolerance, harmony and understanding.