Stop looking at Pakistan through third country prism, envoy Ali Jahangir

Former ambassador to US says Pakistan offers enormous economic growth potential

“It was time to stop looking at Pakistan through a limited third country prism whether it is India or Afghanistan,” said Ali Jahangir Siddiqui, Pakistan’s former ambassador to the United States.

Siddiqui, who has been appointed by the PTI government as the ambassador-at-large for investment "in an honorary capacity", was speaking at an event ‘Top Defence and National Security Think Tanks’ organised by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), ranked the number one think tank in the world.

At a roundtable with hosts and senior scholars, Seth Jones and Daniel Runde, Siddiqui said Pakistan offers enormous economic growth potential and a partnership that benefits from cooperation and shared regional interests.

He observed that interested US companies have missed out on various opportunities in Pakistan against their competitors in Europe and Asia, especially in telecommunication services.

The hosts appreciated Pakistan’s opening of the Kartarpur Corridor for the Sikh community calling it a positive sign for tourism development in the country.

During the discussion on CPEC and the Pakistan-China relationship, Ambassador relayed Pakistan’s perspective and addressed common misconceptions in the US. “Contrary to common perception CPEC has actually benefitted US companies such as General Electric,” he added.