Ambassador Sheikh & US Lawmakers Exchange Views as New Congress Prepares to Convene in 2025
By Elaine Pasquini
Washington: As 2024 begins to wind down, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States, kept up a busy schedule of productive discussions with several US legislative representatives in their Capitol Hill offices during the second week of December.
In a meeting with Rep Tom Kean (R-NJ), the two discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral ties, promote regional security, and enhance trade and investment links, highlighting that shared values and interests lend a strong foundation to Pakistan’s longtime partnership with the United States dating back to 1947. They also explored deepening their collaboration, particularly in pharmaceuticals and IT, two industries of great importance to both New Jersey and Pakistan.
Conferring with Rep Kevin Kiley (R-CA), the ambassador and the young representative from northern California focused on increasing cooperation between Silicon Valley’s large IT enterprises and Pakistan’s burgeoning tech industry. They also touched on their mutual interests involving trade, investment, and agriculture.
Ambassador Sheikh’s deliberations with Rep Rich McCormick (R-GA) spotlighted expanding avenues of economic interaction and security cooperation. The ambassador and the former Navy commander also discussed larger issues of regional as well as global significance.
In a productive meeting with Rep Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), Ambassador Sheikh extended an invitation for her to visit or lead a Texas business delegation to Pakistan in 2025. The offer intrigued the congresswoman who recognizes the importance of on-the-ground people-to-people contacts between Pakistanis and Americans.
Ambassador Sheikh and Rep Buddy Carter (R-GA) discussed opportunities to strengthen Pakistan and US bilateral relations as a source of political and economic stability in South Asia. They also explored possibilities of deeper engagement and collaboration with Carter’s home state in the economic domain. Georgia and Sindh province began a thriving sister-state relationship last year which opened up opportunities between Pakistan and the United States.
In a meeting with Rep Neal Dunn (R-FL) the two noted the need for enhancing cooperation between Pakistan and the United States in the next Congress which convenes in January.
Rep Robert Aderholt (R-AL) and the ambassador exchanged views on combating climate change. The increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather linked to rising global temperatures is a top concern for both Pakistan and the United States.
The recent round of meetings with US lawmakers is a continuation of the outreach Ambassador Sheikh has been engaged in since arriving in Washington this past summer as Pakistan’s top diplomat to the United States. In these interactions, and others with community members, the ambassador has stressed the importance of economic, cultural, and people-to-people ties between the two longtime allies for the mutual benefit of both, Pakistanis and Americans.
(Elaine Pasquini is a freelance journalist. Her reports appear in the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs and Nuze.Ink.)
