WASHINGTON: A representative of the US State Department assured Pakistanis attending a two-day convention at the Pakistan embassy last week that Pakistan and the United States, who have been partners for over 70 years, would continue their partnership.

Martha Patterson said that building on and improving this historical long-standing partnership was critical to both nations. She also mentioned that trade between the two countries reached $6.4 billion in 2017, an all-time high.

Officials from the US State Department and USAID also made a presentation on the ongoing cooperation in various areas between Pakistan and the US.

Responding to Ms Patterson’s remarks, Ambassador Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry acknowledged the US had made historic contribution towards the economic and social development of Pakistan and Islamabad was willing to cooperate with Washington to continue this relationship.

The convention, however, focused on the role that the Pakistani-American community could play in cementing this old relationship that was going through a bad patch.

Welcoming the participants, Ambassador Chaudhry said the Pakistani-American community was already playing a key role in bringing the two countries together by forging strong people-to-people relations. He hoped that young Pakistani-Americans would continue to enrich various facets of American society and life by excelling in their chosen fields of endeavour.

He said that an engaged and civic-minded expatriate community was key to enhancing mutual goodwill and understanding between Pakistan and the US.

The first-day of the convention was divided into panel discussions and presentations, which were punctuated by cultural and musical performances that showcased the diversity of Pakistan’s rich heritage.

The six panel discussions were focused on youth engagement; role of women; voice in academia and think-tanks; civic engagement; harmony through art and literature; and entrepreneurs. Each panel comprised Pakistani-Americans who had distinguished themselves in the subject area.

Summing up the day’s formal proceedings, Ambassador Chaudhry said that an outcome document, to be issued after the event, will enumerate the key ideas discussed during the convention. He stressed that the embassy would continue to provide a platform for Pakistani-Americans to network and interact for articulation and attainment of common objectives.

Pakistan’s Consuls General in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston also participated in an interactive session on the provision of consular services to the Pakistani-American communities in their areas of jurisdiction.

Published in Dawn, April 16th, 2018