Masood affirms 'recalibration' of Pak-US ties based on trade, investment

Masood Khan, Pakistan's ambassador to the United States, said both sides are working hard to recalibrate bilateral ties, affirming that its impact will lead to a "bright future".

Ambassador Masood, while speaking at the March 23rd reception held at the Pakistan embassy in Washington to commemorate the 1940 Lahore Resolution, said that the US and Islamabad are striving to recalibrate bilateral ties based on trade, investment, green energy healthcare, education and science and technology.

Paying tribute to Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah for his unparalleled resolve and leadership, the envoy underscored the significance of the Pakistan Resolution terming it as a milestone which later materialised into the creation of an independent state.

Expressing gratitude to the US State Department for its efforts to strengthen bilateral relations, Khan reiterated Islamabad's resolve to a "peaceful neighbourhood".

He also lamented the human rights violations in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) stressing that the Kashmiris should be allowed to exercise their right to self-determination in line with the United Nations (UN) resolutions.

Furthermore, the ambassador conferred the country's national awards on two Pakistani Americans Nasruddin Rupani and Hafeez Khan.

Speaking on the occasion, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Assistant Administrator of the Bureau for Asia Michael Schiffer reaffirmed Washington's support for Islamabad's long-term development goals.

On the prospective areas of cooperation between the two countries, Schiffer underscored the significance of the hydropower sector, access to technology and quality education, and mitigation of trade barriers.

Accentuating the approval of the global climate fund to boost Pakistan's efforts to tackle climate change and water scarcity, the official stressed that the Green Alliance Framework — a joint initiative between the two countries — is assisting Pakistan to address future challenges pertaining to climate, energy and economy.

He also recalled that the USAID between 2022 and 2023, had joined hands with the Pakistani diaspora to mobilise $197 million in flood relief along and investment in a wide array of sectors with mutual interests.