US Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter said on Tuesday that a strong and stable Pakistan was in the interest of America, which is why US aid agencies have been providing assistance to the people and the government of Pakistan.
The US ambassador was addressing a function held here at National Library to mark the completion of a US programme to improve education in Northwest Pakistan. The event celebrated the success of the three-year ED-LINKS project which assisted more than 450,000 students in over 700 schools in the region. This project was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
“Our shared efforts to improve education in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) and FATA are a symbol of Pakistani and US friendship. More importantly, our work will build a better tomorrow for future generations of Pakistanis,” said Ambassador Munter.
The ambassador further said that that USAID had provided valuable support in rebuilding educational institutions and reviving educational facilities. He said that some elements were involved in propaganda that USA was not a friend of Pakistan , which, he said, was absolutely wrong.
He praised the KPK government for taking practical measures to revive the educational system in the province particularly for the girl students.
A number of students belonging to FATA and the Malakand area, Education Minister for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sardar Babak Hussain and USAID Mission Director Andrew Sisson were present.
Asked why USAID was interested in repairing schools and helping Pakistan, the US ambassador said, “We want to make you strong so that you make a stronger Pakistan,” he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Sardar Babak said, “There could be no better way to help Pashtuns then to help the children get better education,” he said.
The minister praised the contribution of USAID and other international donor agencies to Pakistan’s education sector. Students from six districts of Malakand and 13 regions and agencies of FATA benefited from the project. The project helped train more than 3,000 teachers and supported teacher training institute. At the end of the ceremony, the ambassador had an interactive session with the students.
