US investors, diaspora urged to invest in Pakistan

WASHINGTON: Pakistan’s exports of goods and services to the United States increased more than 40 per cent in the current fiscal year, Pakistan's Ambassador to the US Masood Khan said in Houston the other day.

The ambassador urged American investors and Pakistani diaspora to take Pakistan as an emerging market and invest their excess capacity for reaping huge economic dividends.

Addressing business leaders, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, members of prestigious US think-tank Asia Society and Pakistani community on various occasions during the third day of his visit to Houston, the ambassador said that such investments would create a win-win partnership for the two countries.

Discussing the multifaceted Pak-US ties, Ambassador Masood Khan said that Pakistan has been a steadfast ally of the United States. “We have been partners in peace-keeping, peace-building and peace-making. Our partnership has contributed towards making the world safer,” he said.

Addressing the Pakistani American community, Ambassador Khan said that we all have to work together to dispel mis-perceptions about Pakistan in the United States,remove misgivings about the United States and finally make Pakistan strong economically.

“You are a strong bridge between Pakistan and the United States and you have done well here. Most of the Pakistani entrepreneurs in the United States have excess capacity. They have excess wealth and this can be invested in Pakistan. It would strengthen the relationship between the two countries,” the ambassador said.

During his four-day visit to Houston, the ambassador interacted with business leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, congressmen and members of the Pakistani diaspora based in the Texas State. He also had a luncheon meeting with leading investors and entrepreneurs where he highlighted the huge potential of Pakistani economy which has remained untapped so far in various fields, including petroleum, agriculture, livestock, green and alternate energy, climate change, healthcare, semi conductors and tech sector.

The ambassador highlighted that the United States was already investing in Pakistan. “In the tech sector, for instance, we have earned about $700 million in the past 18 months alone. The momentum comes directly from the United States; from the Bay Area, from Houston and other parts of the United States.”

The ambassador said that Pakistan was ready with its infrastructure to receive US investments. We have the necessary wherewithal in the shape of easy and accessible ports, integrated rail road network and most importantly an enterprising young population to become a self-sustaining hub of commercial and economic activities in the region. “Our regulatory regime has been eased to provide maximum facilitation and benefits to the investors,” he said. Later, the ambassador visited the Texas chapter of the Asia Society and interacted with members of the think tank, policy experts, academicians and businessmen.