KARACHI, Jan 23: State Senator and leader of the seven-member US delegation, Brooks Douglas has assured the business community that he would present a positive picture of Pakistan amongst the US people and investors.

“I am here to show Americans that the place (Pakistan) is safe and also there is no problem of security here,” he said, adding “I will do my part when the delegation flies back to homeland”.

Mr Douglas was responding to a comment in a meeting with the FPCCI members on Wednesday that the US media is tarnishing Pakistan’s image specially regarding security of foreign nationals in the post-Sept 11 scenario. The propaganda has quite severely affected the country’s reputation worldwide.

“We are on a fact-finding mission to encourage the US people and businessmen for expanding and seeking new business avenues,” he said.

He said Pakistan being in close proximity to Afghanistan and having fully conversant with its geographical, social, culture and business conditions, could be natural partners for the American companies to explore trade and investment opportunities in the war-ravaged country.

He said prior to September 11, Americans could not locate Pakistan on the world map but they just knew that the country was situated near Afghanistan. “Now the situation has changed and the American people have begun to feel very good for Pakistan and consider it a true ally,” he added.

The Senator said that September 11 incident had opened doors in the minds of the American people to become receptive to the outside world.

Terming his visit as fruitful, Douglas said “we plan to return in May 2002 with a much greater delegation to seek business opportunities particularly in vocational education to strike partnerships with local universities as Oklahoma has alone 40 universities.”

The delegation will try to establish collaboration with local counterparts in IT, agriculture service, oil and gas, handicrafts and computer softwares. The delegation will also comprise members of the EXIM Bank, private sector, insurance companies and Federal Trade Development Authority.

“I am encouraged that both Pakistan and America are now moving forward today in building and expanding mutually beneficial trading relationship and we like to maintain this positive development in future,” he said

Oklahoma, he said, was also pursuing its relationship with other states and countries by opening trade offices in countries like Vietnam to introduce “our business people in various countries”.

He said there were hundreds of oil and gas companies in Oklahoma alone, but 10 to 15 companies were willing to arrive in Pakistan to seek invest opportunities.

Douglas also met Export Promotion Bureau chairman Tariq Ikram. The EPB chief said the US had promised additional market access to Pakistan, but necessary legislation had yet to travel through the US legislature. This has further been complicated by the security measures taken by the US government, resulting in stuck-up of consignments at the US ports.