LOS ANGELES, June 29: President General Pervez Musharraf on Saturday asked the American businessmen to help build a strong Pakistan-US relationship by bolstering the bilateral trade and commercial ties.

He informed a meeting of American legislators and entrepreneurs at a breakfast meeting that steadily improved economy, commitment to privatization, a large market, continuity of policies, a strategic location and a safe environment had made Pakistan an ideal place for doing business.

“It is the private sector, the investors and entrepreneurs who will provide depth and strengthen to the fresh Pakistan-US strategic partnership.”

The president said of the over 600 international companies doing business in Pakistan, the majority was earning a profit ranging from 20 to 60 per cent.

He referred to improved security environment and said Pakistan had been able to counter terrorism through an effective strategy backed up with speedy actions and effective intelligence gathering.

Pakistan, he said, had apprehended more Al Qaeda terrorists than any other country in the world.

He informed the gathering that Pakistan had initiated mega-projects like Gwadar deep sea-port, coastal highways, motorways and coal energy projects, and said the presence of the huge infrastructure would make the country an ideal gateway for business transportation from Central Asian states to the Gulf through Afghanistan.—APP