The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) on Monday welcomed the resumption of Pak-US strategic dialogue after a delay of three years terming it beneficial for the two countries. The negotiations should not be a wastage of time, rather it should result in meaningful developments and deep ties so that bilateral relation could enter a new era.
If US considers Islamabad as a key ally and strategic partner then it should play due role in their development with focus on provision of latest military hardware to help contain insurgency, support them to resolve energy crisis and provision of market access, said FPCCI President Zubair Ahmed Malik.
Speaking to a group of businessmen, he said their bilateral relations should be sustainable promoting comprehensive and mutually beneficial cooperation and not on ad hoc basis. He said that Pakistan was an independent and sovereign nation therefore it would never accept conditional aid and mismatched relations.
The FPCCI chief said the recent conditions imposed by the US administration had not gone down well with the business community. Pakistan had paid heavily in the war on terror, it had drained public exchequer while increasing cost of doing business with common man as an ultimate victim, he said.
Zubair Ahmed Malik said the responsibility of the outcome of dialogue lies on the negotiators of both the countries. Pakistan should try for a meaningful outcome while matters of lesser importance should not harm the negotiations. Pakistani team must exploring new areas of cooperation, try upgraded commercial ties, market access and increased US investment, he demanded.