Diaspora Can Play a Pivotal Role in “Helping Their Counterparts Capitalize on Economic Opportunities in Pakistan”
By Elaine Pasquini
Washington: “Our diaspora in the United States can play a pivotal role in strengthening ties with the US while also helping their counterparts capitalize on economic opportunities in Pakistan,” Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States, said on October 14, 2024, during a three-day visit to Texas. “With a population of 250 million, Pakistan can serve as an economic corridor, not only for the region, but also for the world’s economies.”
During his meeting with Texas officials, the business community and the Pakistani diaspora in Dallas and Houston, the ambassador noted the “immense opportunities to forge a strong partnership between Pakistan and Texas in diverse fields, including IT, agriculture, textiles and sports.”
The visit was aimed at connecting with the Texas leadership to explore possibilities for enhancing Pakistan-US bilateral relations across various sectors and to engage with the Pakistani community in Texas, who are making significant contributions in their professional fields.
On the first day of his visit, Ambassador Sheikh met with Texas Governor Greg Abbott to discuss possibilities for cooperation in fields such as IT, agriculture, textiles and sports. As the eighth largest economy in the world by nominal GDP, Texas offers significant trade and economic opportunities for Pakistan.
In Dallas, Ambassador Sheikh enjoyed a luncheon meeting with Congressman Lance Carter Gooden (R-TX), wherein they discussed Pak-US bilateral relations, security and defense cooperation, and exchanged views on regional and global developments.
Ambassador Sheikh also met with the Pakistan Chamber of Commerce USA. Highlighting Pakistan’s trade and investment potential, especially in the IT and agricultural sectors, he assured Pakistani-American companies of support in pursuing business opportunities in Pakistan.
In Houston, the ambassador inaugurated the first-ever two-day Pakistan Literature Festival, organized by the International Academy of Letters. In his remarks, the ambassador emphasized the role of art, literature, people-to-people contacts and public diplomacy in strengthening Pakistani relations with the United States. Pakistani literature consists of distinct writings that emerged following the country’s independence in 1947. Based on the literature of South Asia, the writings include the shared tradition of Urdu literature and that of colonial British India.
Ambassador Sheikh also met with the leadership of the Ismaili community at the Jamatkhana and Center near Houston, which is an 11.5-acre site providing opportunities for prayer and gatherings for the Muslims in the region.
The ambassador commended the contributions of the approximately 50,000 Shia Ismailis in Texas under the guidance of His Highness Aga Khan.
Later, Ambassador Sheikh joined Congressman Al Green (D-TX) and members of the diplomatic corps in a send-off ceremony for two containers of medical equipment bound for Pakistan. He praised the philanthropic and relief efforts of the Houston-Karachi Sister-City Association, established between the two cities in 2009. The ambassador also thanked Medical Bridges, the Alliance for Disaster Relief and Helping Hand for their contributions.
Pakistan’s top envoy to the US also visited clinics run by the Ibn Sina Foundation, and was briefed on the services provided to the under-served community in Greater Houston, which include low-cost preventative and primary medical and dental care for children.
During his meetings with members of the Pakistani diaspora, Ambassador Sheikh lauded their contributions to strengthening relations between the United States and Pakistan and projecting a positive image of their home country in the United States.
“Our community is the most enduring link in the Pak-US relationship,” he said. “You have not only excelled in your respective fields but have also projected a positive image of the country here in the United States. A strong Pak-US relationship benefits not only our two countries but also the future generations of our community.”
The ambassador underscored the need for fostering and promoting robust economic linkages between the two countries and reiterated the Embassy and Consulate’s full support for the Pakistani community in the United States. He thanked them for their valuable contributions towards the socio-economic development of Pakistan.
(Elaine Pasquini is a freelance journalist. Her reports appear in the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs and Nuze.Ink.)
