Acting CG Dr. Muhammad Khalid Ejaz Addresses USC Students
Acting Consul General Dr. Muhammad Khalid Ejaz gave a talk on Pak-US relations-current perspective at the Banquet Dinner of South Asian Studies Association held at the University of Southern California on April 10, 2010.
The Acting Consul General emphasized the following crucial points:
*** The recently-held Pakistan-US Strategic Dialogue, elevated to the ministerial level, is a manifestation of the strengthening of Pak-US relations.
*** The dialogue was instrumental in bridging the mistrust between the two countries. There was a candid appraisal of each other ‘s point of view.
*** A Policy Steering Group was established to expand sectoral partnership between Pakistan and the USA in the fields of economy, trade, energy, defense, security, strategic stability, non-proliferation, law-enforcement and counter-terrorism.
*** Pakistan sought greater market access for its products in the Dialogue and requested early implementation of the ROZ project which was long overdue.
*** The USA can play a vital role in ensuring peace and development in South Asia. A dialogue can help India and Pakistan to address contentious issues and create regional framework in which trade and security can be enhanced.
It is imperative that the US continues to support Pakistan’s nascent democracy which is the surest recipe against extremism.
