Pak ambassador, US Congressmen discuss investment, people-to-people ties

WASHINGTON: Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US Rizwan Sheikh met Congressman Tom Suozzi, Chair Pakistan Caucus, and Congressman Jack Bergman, Republican co-Chair at the Capitol Hill, here.

The ambassador congratulated them on assuming the Caucus leadership and pledged to work together to strengthen the Pakistan-US partnership with focus on trade, investment, and people to people ties, according to a statement issued by the Pakistani embassy.

Meanwhile, a few members of the Pakistani-American Public Affairs Committee also met with the heads of the Congressional Pakistan Caucus the same day.

The PAKPAC handle on X posted a picture stating, “Thank you @RepJackBergman and @RepTomSuozzi for agreeing to Co-Chair the Pakistan Caucus and thank for you for (sic) meeting with PAKPAC, the Pakistani-American Public Affairs Committee, this evening. We look forward to building a stronger Pakistan.”

They had a dinner meeting with the ambassador the same evening at his official residence. The Embassy did not identify the participants as members of the PAKPAC, instead it shared a picture of the attendees on X and posted, “Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh had an interactive engagement with a group of Pakistani-Americans.

The participants assured to work with the embassy to further strengthening Pakistan-US relations through concerted efforts in the length and breadth of the US.

According to one of the dinner guests, who requested not to be named, the environment during the dinner turned “hostile” over disagreements on the political situation in Pakistan.

The embassy, however, contradicted the account. In response to a question about the said evening, the embassy spokesperson said, “The ambassador had a very candid conversation, in a friendly and amicable environment, with the Pak-American community. There was a consensus to work together to attract US investment and strengthen Pak-US relations especially trade ties.”

The group, PAKPAC, had also posted a “Day on the Hill for Democracy in Pakistan” invite on its website. The event was supposed to take place yesterday (Wednesday) yet no further details of any activity were later shared or made public.

The event invite read: “On Wednesday, September 18th join Pakistan-American activists from across the country as we gather in Washington, DC, to brief members of Congress and their staff on the perilous situation for democracy in Pakistan.”

PAKPAC takes credit for the famous US House Resolution 901 that was passed on June 25 which “expressed support for democracy and human rights in Pakistan.”

It urged Pakistan to uphold democratic institutions and human rights, and called on the President to work with Pakistan to uphold democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.

The group’s website states that “the massive victory was the culmination of decades of work by PAKPAC to raise the Pakistani American community’s voice on Capitol Hill.”