PESHAWAR: US Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter on Wednesday said Pakistan should not look to the US government and instead solve its problems on its own.
In a series of meetings, Munter told members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KPCCI) and students that the United States looks forward to re-engaging with the Pakistani government at the appropriate time, with a new focus based on realistic expectations and founded on mutual respect.
The ambassador said his government had expressed regret and sorrow over Salalah incident, killing 24 Pakistani security forces personnel, adding Pakistan and the US work together to prevent recurrence of such incidents.
Regarding the future relationship between the two countries, he said the US would wait for conclusion of parliamentary debate over Pak-US ties and would respond openly and honestly.
The ambassador affirmed the importance of the US-Pakistan relationship and highlighted US assistance to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA, including more than $750 million in US projects to rebuild infrastructure and livelihoods in the region.
The ambassador also offered his condolences for the police officers and others who lost their lives in a bombing in Peshawar last night.
The Ambassador also detailed US assistance to the region, which has built more than 200 kilometers of roads and provided clean drinking water for more than 2 million residents in the FATA, and pledged to help local officials increase educational and economic opportunities and reconnect the region to the rest of Pakistan.
The US ambassador had been scheduled to deliver a speech to students at Peshawar University but the engagement was cancelled by the government due to security concerns.
Despite the cancellation, the ambassador met with a group of Peshawar University students benefitting from US-funded scholarships to pursue bachelors’ degrees in education.
The visit also included a lunch at the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Munter assured the over 30 members that there is much more room for expansion in US-Pakistan trade, and that the United States is committed to creating opportunities for KP businesspeople.
During his visit, Ambassador Munter also met with KP Governor Masud Kasaur, Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti, and Chief Secretary Ghulam Dastagir Khan.