CM lauds US assistance in health, education sectors

A grand dinner-reception was hosted by the US Consulate General to celebrate the US National Day and to bid farewell to the outgoing consul-general, Grace Shelton, on Thursday evening.

It was a well-attended function with the intellectual and bureaucratic elite and the top wigs of the business community in attendance.

Chief guest Syed Murad Ali Shah, the chief minister of Sindh, lauded the 70-year-old Pakistan-US ties and said a visible sign of that were the large Pakistani alumni of US universities.

He also mentioned the ultra-modern hospital in Jacobabad built with the assistance of the US government. Apart from this, he mentioned the 106 schools built across Sindh with the assistance of the US Agency for International development (USAID).

The chief minister spoke about the private sector ties between the two countries whereby private firms in the US were exploring possibilities in Karachi to cooperate with their Pakistani counterparts. He also touched on the topic of terrorism and appreciated US help in mitigating the menace.

Earlier, outgoing Consul General Grace Shelton referred to the 5,000 Pakistani alumni of US universities. She also mentioned US assistance in the field of healthcare and in this context particularly mentioned US help in vaccinating half a million children against communicable diseases.

“I found my tenure in Pakistan most eventful,” Shelton said. “The hospitality of the people of Sindh was unmatched,” she said. She spoke highly of the people of Pakistan. During the ceremony, the national anthems of both countries were rendered by female vocalists.

An official of the US Consulate General informed this correspondent that the US national day, which actually falls on July 4, was being celebrated ahead of schedule this year, as July was a very hot and humid month in Pakistan and was really not too pleasant for celebration of events.