NEW YORK: Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Jalil Abbas Jilani gave a detailed perspective of Washington-Islamabad relations to members of the Pakistani community in New York on Sunday and urged them to play their role in cementing the relationship.
In remarks at the first sub-convention of the Pakistani American Community (SCPAC), he also highlighted important developments in Pakistan in the areas of security, economy and energy while underscoring the need for the community members to proactively participate in community affairs.
The sub-convention held at the Consulate-General of Pakistan in New York was the first in a series to be held by Pakistani Consulates in the United States in a lead up to the third annual Convention (CPAC 2016) which is expected to be convened at the Embassy of Pakistan in Washington DC later this year.
The ambassador also briefed his compatriots on the progress made on Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif’s development agenda. While giving a briefing on security, Defence Attache Brigadier Chaudhry Sarfraz said operation Zarb-e-Azb, which had drastically improved Pakistan’s internal security situation as well as external security, had entered its last phase.
So far over 3,400 terrorists had been killed and 837 sanctuaries destroyed. In their presentations, the embassy’s economic and trade ministers, Mohsin Mushtaq and Ali Tahir, respectively apprised the participants about the strength, opportunities and challenges faced in the economic field. The participants were told that the GDP growth rate has reached 4.71 percent with the current account deficit being lowest in the region, inflation at 4 percent and FOREX reserves reached over US$23 billion.
The growth and stabilization of the country’s economy had been recognized internationally. They also briefed the audience on trade and investing opportunities in Pakistan and urged them to act as a bridge in strengthening Pak-US economic and trade relations.
The convention was attended by leading members of the Pakistani-American community on the East Coast who greatly appreciated the initiative of the Consulate-General in New York. Consul-General Raja Ali Ejaz thanked the audience for their participation.-