US official’s visit to give trade a boost, envoy told

Statement says move paved way for establishing sister-state ties between New York State and Punjab, Sindh

WASHINGTON:

The recent visit to Pakistan of New York State Assembly’s Deputy Speaker, Phil Ramos, has paved the way for establishing sister-state relationships between New York State and the provinces of Punjab and Sindh, Pakistani Ambassador Masood Khan was told Friday.

In a Zoom link meeting with members of the American-Pakistan Public Affairs Committee (APPAC) delegation, which accompanied Deputy Speaker Ramos, the ambassador welcomed the visit’s outcome, which would facilitate the Pakistani business community in organising tradeshows and holding exhibitions in New York and other US cities to showcase Pakistani products.

Practical steps would be taken to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the healthcare sector, leading to greater opportunities for paramedical staff from Pakistan to serve in the United States, a statement issued by the Pakistani embassy here stated.

Ambassador Masood was also apprised that three committees, comprising representatives of the Pakistan Chamber of Commerce, APPAC, and the Deputy Speaker’s Office, had been constituted to prepare a roadmap for the implementation of the decisions.

In his remarks, the ambassador commended APPAC’s role in strengthening trade and investment ties and promoting people-to-people contacts between Pakistan and the United States.

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Appreciating the move to establish a sister-state relationship, Masood said that the arrangement would help forge multifaceted long-term ties in diverse areas. Sister-state agreements between California and Punjab, as well as Sindh and Georgia, provided a blueprint for New York’s partnership with Punjab and Sindh.

The ambassador assured of all possible support from the Pakistani trade officers in working out a concrete set of actions with timelines.

He also highlighted huge trade and investment opportunities that awaited US investments, especially in IT, renewable energy, agriculture, and extractive industries.

Separately, the ambassador also had a virtual meeting with the representatives of Pakistan Information and Cultural Organization (PICO) Arizona, Pakistan Society of North Texas (PSNT), and the Pakistani American Association in Tampa Bay, Florida. Consul General Los Angeles Asim Ali Khan and CG Houston Aftab Ahmed Chaudhry were also present in the meeting.