News
Monday, October 24, 2011
Haqqani urges Pak-Americans to pursue fields of creative expression
* Pakistan’s ambassador to US encourages youth to engage in ‘Marketplace of Ideas’
* Says Pakistanis should be a nation of achievers, not complainers
WASHINGTON: Pakistani-American youth should pursue excellence in fields of creative expression in order to become an influential voice in the United States through participation in informed discourse, said Islamabad’s ambassador in Washington.
Ambassador Husain Haqqani told a group of Pakistani-American students that in the global ‘Marketplace of Ideas’, it is advancement in fields like the media, foreign relations, law, research and scholarship that brings influence for communities and nations.
Pakistani-American students from 14 American states visited the embassy as part of a three-day annual Youth Leadership Conference under the banner of USPAK Foundation. On behalf of the USPAK, Rashid Chotani told the gathering that the young Pakistani-Americans students took part in useful discussion on various issues.
Haqqani said that Pakistanis have achieved success in fields of medicine, engineering and information technology but argued they now need to diversify their expertise for productive engagement in mainstream American intellectual and political arenas. This way, the community, would be able to foster better understanding between Pakistan and the United Stats and also improve their own standing, he said.
“We should be seen by the world as a nation of achievers and not perceived as a nation of complainers that only voices grievances against others richer and more powerful than us,” Ambassador Haqqani said, adding that the United States with its vast array of institutions offers tremendous opportunities for the students’ advancement.
The students had the opportunity to listen to senior US officials at the White House including the deputy national security adviser and public engagement officials while they also met with lawmakers on the Capitol Hill.
State Department special representative for Muslim communities Farah Pandith opened the three-day conference. Earlier, deputy chief of the mission at the Pakistani Embassy Iffat Gardezi, welcomed the participants, saying Pakistani-American youth had an important role in rectifying misperceptions about Pakistan, which is often seen through the prism of Afghanistan conflict in analyses on the region these days. President of USPAK Foundation Irfan Malik and State Department diplomat Sarah Peck also attended the meeting at the Pakistani embassy. app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk