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First public engagement: Sherry vows to ‘transform’ Pak-US ties
Newly appointed envoy hosts dinner for Pakistani American community.
Newly appointed envoy hosts dinner for Pakistani American community.
WASHINGTON: In her first public engagement since assuming office two weeks ago, Ambassador to the United States Sherry Rehman reached out to the Pakistani-American community and sought their support to bring the two countries together.
“This embassy is not going to work alone in Washington. It’s going to work with many ambassadors, who are yourselves, to attempt to change the way this important bilateral relationship works,” she said.
Referring to Pak-US relations, the ambassador said that these are certainly not ‘normal’ times. The relationship between Washington and Islamabad has never been as important, yet the tensions have never been so grave, she added.
For the first time in Pakistan’s history, a comprehensive parliamentary review is under way to establish new principles for this relationship. The review will reflect a multi-partisan parliamentary consensus and the support of the Pakistani people, said the ambassador.
“As Pakistani-Americans, I want you to know that I will rely heavily on you as the extended arm of this embassy and its consulates in getting our message delivered to the American public. Every one of you is our mouthpiece. Every one of you is our lobbyist,” she added.
The ambassador said: “Our friends in the United States must know that our sacrifices in the war on terror far outnumber those of any other international or Nato coalition partner in Afghanistan. Yet, I’m not here with a grievance narrative.”
Referring to economic ties, she said bilateral relations should move from dependency to partnership, from aid to trade. “We will prefer to be economic and political partners and not just battlefield allies.”
One of the ambassador’s priorities will be the formation of a Pakistan-American leadership caucus, which will serve as the main vehicle for strategic interventions to build a new relationship with the US, and to promote ‘a new Pakistan’. She will also initiate a new cultural outreach programme to showcase the ‘real Pakistan’.
Ambassador Sherry assured members from all religious communities hailing from Pakistan that the embassy and its consulates general would always welcome them and that their empowerment was in fact, the missions’ empowerment.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 29th, 2012.
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“Our friends in the United States must know that our sacrifices in the war on terror far outnumber those of any other international or Nato coalition partner in Afghanistan.”
Why do I keep getting the feeling that the US has heard this enough time and it isn’t buying the argument. We may have made numerous sacrifices but these all amount to nought thanks to our establishment’s pursuit of strategic depth and support for select groups such as the Haqqanis. The damage due to this support is so far-reaching that the possibility of “partnership” with the US seems remote and when we talk of trade not aid, it sounds like we are desperately pleading for even the trade.
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I was hoping for somewthing more original from the new Ambassador rather than a repeat of this tired old mantra.
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What do u wanna trade, Industry is being shifted to the neighboring countries, prower crisis has resulted in lowest rate of productivity, taxes on agricultural sector, what do we have to trade???
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may be Pakistan can trade haqqanis for some trades quotas with USA
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Pakistan should stop aids and engage in trade-related activities with USA. This is a fine approach driving Pakistanis towards productivity preventing option of loans creating total dependency on USA. Thus far, we’re up to grasping as much loans we can get for our own people, well that’s what leaders claim, but in a country where corruption is widespread, we should protest and to try make most possible efficient use of the resources available within to trade and earn!
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@Colonel
This is the perspective people hold against fair trade with other countries. Yes, there is crisis I agree, but nonetheless our leader are to blame for our predicament. In a country where government is nothing but bogus, in a country where almost every leader takes advantage of their possession and exploits it and runs their mouth of how useful they’re, in a country where system itself is a failure, hence it is aimless of receiving loans. The only way to assay our elected leader’s capabilities is by seeing their progress with resources available within the country. Alliance with USA is uncertain, once their goals and objectives are met they can backfire and what are we?
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Pakistan should stop aids and engage in trade-related activities with USA. This is a fine approach driving Pakistanis towards productivity neglecting option of loans that leads to creating total dependency on USA. Thus far, we’re up to grasping as much loans we can get for our own people, well that’s what leaders claim, but in a country where corruption is widespread, we should protest and try to make most possible efficient use of the resources available within for trade and earn!
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What a grandiose statement, sounds great. The question is what do you have to trade? The one commodity Pakistan exports all around the world, no one wants.
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@Aimal:
Agreed, thats the only way we can stand on our own foots
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Great words coming from the wrong Party after the period of 5 years too late and too corrupt – They have destroyed the ecnomic fabric of Pakistan
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Trade and not aid. That sounds good. When you prove to the world ‘love and not hate’ only than they will take notice of you.
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If PAK continues on the course it has set with the US there will be neither aid or trade with the US in the future.
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And what exactly to you bring to the partnership? Whom one associates with affects their reputation – and since Pakistan has an international reputation for being corrupt and duplicitous few people would be willing to consider Pakistan as a partner.
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emphasized text“Our friends in the United States must know that our sacrifices in the war on terror far outnumber those of any other international or Nato coalition partner in Afghanistan.”
This is not how the World sees it. Yes the World agrees that Pakistan has lost a lot. Yes, “Lost” not “Sacrificed”. The World’s perspective is that Pakistan placed a “Strategic Bet”. A new terminology and catchy too ….. “Strategic Bet”. Should be added to other often used and meaningless terminologies, such as, Strategic Assets, Strategic Depth, Supreme National Interest, etc. The Strategic Bet was that Pakistan can gain advantage by supporting, nourishing protecting and utilizing terrorists and terror organizations, often referred to as “Strategic Assets” even by Gen. Kayani. Unfortunately for Pakistan, it lost this foolish bet. As simple as this ………… If only everyone in Pakistan can understand this it would change for the better. Many understand, but some don’t or won’t.
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@Colonel:
It struck me when you mention “power crisis”. Read a report recently that even Afghanistan has offered to supply electricity to Pakistan.
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What trade are we talking of. – exporting garments to US. There is no value added products that Pakistan can sell, may be nukes which they have a plenty off. Until Pakistan develops technology and products sellable in US, Pakistan will have to develop new technology and products sellable ti US. Alternately Pakistan will have to be a satilate of Chinese industries and be produceing components for the Chinese to produce the finished products for US and EU markets
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“Pakistan-US relations should move from dependency to partnership, from aid to trade. We would prefer to be economic and political partners and not just battlefield allies,”
This should have been our strategy from day one ever since we decided to impose this relationship on ourselves. US had no option but to rely on us for supply route. We could have easily got access to most of trade markets in US and europe.
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Dear Ms. Rehman,
Welcome to one of the most difficult diplomatic jobs on the planet.
The Pakistani-American community had a much stronger presence in the US till
the most wanted man in the world was found and killed in a hilly area not too
far from Islambad. After that it is like starting from zero!
Please convey that message back to Isloo.
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