Ambassador Masood Khan Reaches out to US Lawmakers
By Elaine Pasquini
Washington: After a busy September with meetings in New York City during the United Nations General Assembly’s annual session, Masood Khan, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, continued his active schedule into October, consulting with several US lawmakers.
In a meeting with Sen Bill Hagerty (R-TN), the two discussed ways to further strengthen US-Pak relations with a focus on cementing ties in trade, investment, energy and counterterrorism.
Conferring with Sen Jon Ossoff (D-GA), the ambassador raised the issues of bilateral relations and the regional situation. Enjoying a sister-province relationship between the state of Georgia and Sindh province, they reiterated their joint commitment to exploring all possible avenues for enhancing trade ties and promoting people-to-people exchanges.
The ambassador had a productive meeting with Rep Jim Banks (R-IN), co-chair of the Pakistan Congressional Caucus, thanking him for his leadership in the Caucus and his resolute support for Pakistan in Congress. They discussed ways to strengthen ties in parliamentary, economic and educational realms.
Ambassador Khan and Rep Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), ranking member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, discussed Pak-US cooperation in defense, science, technology, education, renewable energy, climate change and exchanges between US and Pakistan’s citizens.
After his meeting with Rep Jason Crow (D-CO), the ambassador tweeted: “Discussed recalibration in Pak-US relations, providing impetus for broad-based trade, investment and security partnerships. Sought Congressional support for cementing bilateral ties.”
Sending a simultaneous message, Rep Crow tweeted: “Met with Pakistan’s Ambassador Masood Khan about strengthening cooperation on regional security, Afghanistan and economic development. I also relayed my views on human rights and the need to proceed with fair elections in January. Thank you for visiting!”
In addition, Ambassador Khan wrote letters to the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Rep Mike McCaul (R-TX), founder and co-chair of the Congressional Pakistan Caucus Rep Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Rep Dean Phillips (D-MN), Rep Barbara Lee (D-CA), Rep Marilyn Strickland (D-WA), Rep Melanie Stansbury (D-NM) and Rep Lance Gooden (R-TX) thanking them for their strong support for Pakistan in the House of Representatives in rejecting a proposed amendment to prohibit assistance to Pakistan under the Fiscal Year 2024 State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Act (SFOP).
“We appreciate your intercession and counsel that ensured that the vote against the amendment enjoyed bipartisan support,” Ambassador Khan wrote to US lawmakers. “In the years to come, we would work harder to promote parliamentary exchanges and strengthen bilateral ties between our two nations. In this endeavor, we would always work with you closely.”
The assistance earmarked under SFOP, he told US legislators in his letters, would go to critical areas of cooperation, including economic support, countering narcotics, counterterrorism, military education training and health programs.
(Elaine Pasquini is a freelance journalist. Her reports appear in the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs and Nuze.Ink.)
