ISLAMABAD: The participants at a roundtable on Monday highlighted the enduring and dynamic relationship between Pakistan and the US and pointed out its strong future potential.

The discussions underscored the continuing relevance of Pak-US partnership for regional peace, stability and security.

NUST Institute of Policy Studies (NIPS) organised a keynote address on “Pak-US relations” by Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Rizwan Saeed Sheikh.

Rector NUST Dr Mohammad Zahid Latif greeted the honourable guest upon arrival and briefly apprised him about the university’s multidimensional knowledge capabilities.

Moderated by Dr Ashfaque Hasan Khan, DG NIPS, the session was attended by statesmen, former senior civil and military officials, veteran ambassadors, public officials, academics, think tank experts, scholars, researchers, and students.

The experts agreed that pragmatic cooperation and mutual respect are key to unlocking long-term opportunities for bilateral ties.

The deliberative exchange emphasised the importance of adopting a forward-looking and merit-based approach to further strengthening the bilateral relations.

There was a clarion call during the discussion for increased academic, think tank, S&T, and innovation-based collaborations between Pakistani and American educational and research institutions.

By leveraging knowledge diplomacy, both countries can deepen common understanding and address pressing global and regional challenges effectively.

The attendees also stressed the significance of increased Pak-U.S. business-to-business exchanges and enhanced trade linkages.

It was agreed unanimously that greater cooperation in the sectors of agriculture, higher education, advanced ICTs, renewable energy, healthcare, and minerals would be mutually advantageous.

The discussants considered that the bilateral dialogue on regional security and stability was a positive development.

The session concluded while stressing the importance of fostering greater bilateral engagement for regional and global growth development, and prosperity.

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2025