California senate passes resolution to establish sister-state relationship with Punjab

Published February 16, 2022
The California State Senate votes on Monday on the resolution to establish a sister-state relationship with Punjab. — Screengrab via California Senate website
The California State Senate votes on Monday on the resolution to establish a sister-state relationship with Punjab. — Screengrab via California Senate website

The California State Senate has passed a resolution to establish a sister-state relationship between California and Punjab till December 2026, it emerged on Wednesday.

According to a press release on the website of Assembly member Chris Holden, who introduced the resolution, the sister-state relationship between California and Punjab will "promote mutual trade and commerce and increase the potential for educational, environmental, and cultural relations", leading to a positive impact on both regions.

"Punjab's capital, Lahore, is a cultural, historical, economic, and cosmopolitan centre of Pakistan where the country's cinema industry and much of its fashion industry are based," the press release added.

It noted that agriculture is still the largest sector of Punjab's economy and a breadbasket for the country, similar to California's position in the US.

The resolution was read out by Senator Sydney Kamlager and was passed by a majority of 36 votes with four members absent from the session.

Pakistan's Consul General in Los Angeles, Abdul Jabbar Memon, said the resolution will open a "new era of cooperation between the two states in multiple domains of mutual interest".

Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar thanked the US state for formally establishing the relationship.

Reacting to the development on Twitter, Sarwar termed it a "great outcome" of his visit to the US last year during which, he said, the resolution was introduced in the California State Assembly.

He also shared a video of when the resolution was introduced.

A draft of the bill stated that more than 250,000 Punjabi Americans reside in California, many of whom initially settled in the state's central valley for agricultural work.

Pakistani American appointed as special representative

Meanwhile, Pakistani American businessman and entrepreneur, Dilawar Syed, has been appointed US State Department's new special representative for commercial and business affairs, the department's spokesman announced on Tuesday.

"Special Representative Syed brings a strong background in business and entrepreneurship, having built global enterprises in the fields of technology, healthcare, and business services," the announcement said.

US President Joe Biden (L) and US State Department's new Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs Dilawar Syed (R). — APP
US President Joe Biden (L) and US State Department's new Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs Dilawar Syed (R). — APP

Syed immigrated to the United States from Pakistan as a college student to attend the College of Wooster in Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in economics and computer science from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Syed has been an entrepreneur for 20 years; he has built and run companies in the fields of software, consumer, and now healthcare and artificial intelligence. He was the president of Freshworks, where he helped scale the software company's products to thousands of small and medium businesses.

"Special Representative Syed will also draw on his experience working at the federal and state levels to advance commercial and economic policies that benefit American workers and businesses," the State Department said.

In the Obama administration, it said, he played an active role in promoting the State Department's Global Entrepreneurship Programme and connecting Silicon Valley innovators with emerging entrepreneurial ecosystems.

As the founding chair of the California Entrepreneurship Task Force, Special Representative Syed drove inclusive entrepreneurship that bridged coastal regions with the state's rural heartland and helped small businesses struggling with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Serving in the State Department's Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, the special representative for commercial and business affairs advances trade, commercial, and economic policies for America's workers and the middle-class to help create well-paying jobs and strengthen our communities," the announcement said.

"Special Representative Syed will lead efforts to support the export activities of US companies through approved commercial advocacy and to create and advance a level playing field for US workers and companies overseas."

Opinion

Editorial

Rushed legislation
Updated 06 Nov, 2024

Rushed legislation

For all its stress on "supremacy of parliament", the ruling coalition has wasted no opportunity to reiterate where its allegiances truly lie.
Jail reform policy
06 Nov, 2024

Jail reform policy

THE state is making a fresh attempt to improve conditions in Pakistan’s penitentiaries by developing a national...
BISP overhaul
06 Nov, 2024

BISP overhaul

IT has emerged that the spouses of over 28,500 Sindh government employees have been illicitly benefiting from BISP....
Smog hazard
Updated 05 Nov, 2024

Smog hazard

The catastrophe unfolding in Lahore is a product of authorities’ repeated failure to recognise environmental impact of rapid urbanisation.
Monetary policy
05 Nov, 2024

Monetary policy

IN an aggressive move, the State Bank on Monday reduced its key policy rate by a hefty 250bps to 15pc. This is the...
Cultural power
05 Nov, 2024

Cultural power

AS vital modes of communication, art and culture have the power to overcome social and international barriers....