US trying to end illegal transfer of money to Pakistan: Chamberlin
By Amjad Mahmood
LAHORE, Nov 20: US Ambassador to Pakistan Wendy Chamberlin said on Tuesday that her country was taking a firm position to end all forms of illegal transfer of money to Pakistan, including Hundi.
Talking to reporters after visiting a local garments factory on Multan Road, 20 kilometres from here on Tuesday, she said they (the US government officials) were working with Pakistan interior ministry officials to develop a system to check this illegal practice.
The Pakistan government was losing revenue and taxes on remittances due to money laundering, while the money transferred through illegal means could also be used by terrorists and drug smugglers, she feared.
She said that investment climate in Pakistan was very conducive and it was far better than before Sept 11 because all the sanctions imposed on Islamabad had been lifted and the US government had provided a $300 million political risk guarantee to make Pakistan an attractive country for the American investors.
The Exim Bank was also facilitating US investors for investment in Pakistan, she said, hoping “this will surely have a positive impact on the Pakistan economy in future.”
Chamberlin said Pakistan was a reliable partner of the United States and “reliability of our partner somewhat depends on its strong economy.” It was also in the interest of the US that its partner must be strong and stable, she added.
About writing off Islamabad’s debt, out of total $37 billion debt Pakistan owed only $3 billion to the US, to help Pakistan come out of its debt trap, she said, a ‘Pakistan package’ was being prepared.
It would be discussed in the December meeting of the Paris Club, she said and added, it would, however, take about one year to materialize.
She agreed with a questioner that the process of offering concessions to Pakistan was moving very slowly.
Chamberlin said she visited Lahore to see “the mood of the people” and “mood of the streets” as well as to tour the textile factory engaged in exporting cheap garments to the US.
“I found the city peaceful and the people well-educated,” she said, adding that she did not see any reason why the US buyers were doubting the ability of the Pakistanis to meet their export targets.
She said her message to the US investors was clear that “Pakistan is open to business as a reliable partner.” Strong Pakistan economy, she said, would help check terror in Afghanistan.
About the demands of the textile millowners to raise textile export quota and cut tariff, she said a legislation in this regard was in the offing in Washington, adding she was also sending a report to her government for increasing the market access to Pakistani products.
About the re-opening of the US consulate in Lahore, Chamberlin said an embassy official was visiting the city today (Tuesday) to review the situation there and then a decision would be taken in this regard.
She denied the impression that the FBI had anything to do with delay in unloading of ships carrying consignments from Pakistan to the US. Efforts were being made to resolve the issue, she added.
Ms Chamberlin said protests against war on Afghanistan were losing steam in Lahore as there were less than 300 people in the protest rally organized last Friday.
About restoration of democracy in Pakistan, she said Gen Pervez Musharraf was firm on following the roadmap he had given to the nation for the purpose and “we have no reason to doubt it.”
The US ambassador did not reply to a question on her government’s demand of seeking custody of some Pakistani nuclear scientists.
Some Press reports say the US government has asked the government to hand over two nuclear scientists — Bashiruddin Mahmood and Chaudhry Abdul Majid — who reportedly visited Afghanistan and met Osama bin Laden.
