Tehmina says women playing a critical role in Pakistan’s development
WASHINGTON: Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua on Thursday stated that Pakistan is committed to rooting out terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
Talking to American journalists in Washington, she said Pak-US partnership in the war against terrorism has been quite successful and both the countries eliminated Al-Qaeda through joint efforts.
The Foreign Secretary said maintaining relations with Pakistan is as important for the United States as are Islamabad’s linkages with its Western ally.
Highlighting Pakistan’s efforts against terrorism and extremism, she stressed on regional cooperation and integration as a bulwark against terrorist elements. She said that CPEC is a part of the grand One Belt, One Road project that aims to knit the region in a cohesive unit in order to do away with mutual differences.
The US wishes to continue talks with Pakistan, said the Foreign Secretary, who is on a crucial visit to Washington as part of an attempt by both states to work together.
Earlier in the day, Alice Wells, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, had said: “I think we’re in the beginning of a process with the Pakistani Government.
“We have a series of high-level exchanges, Foreign Secretary Janjua will be here in Washington for meetings tomorrow. … There will be a very intensive dialogue through both our military and our civilian channels to discuss how we can work together.
“We’re certainly not walking away from Pakistan,” she had stressed.
Asked if Washington had noticed any improvements in Pakistan’s behaviour in terms of terrorism and militancy, Wells said the US had “not seen decisive and sustained changes yet”.
“But certainly, we are continuing to engage with Pakistan over areas where we think they can play a helpful role in changing the calculus of the Taliban,” she had said.
PAKISTANI WOMEN WORKING TOWARDS NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
To mark International Women’s Day, the Embassy of Pakistan Washington D.C. hosted a special event earlier tonight showcasing the achievements of the women of Pakistan as well as women of Pakistani descent in the United States.
Tehmina Janjua, Foreign Secretary of Pakistan, was the Guest of Honor on the occasion. In her remarks, the Foreign Secretary highlighted the growing contribution of Pakistani women towards national development and progress. She stated that the Government of Pakistan remained committed to the empowerment of women in the country, particularly through active participation in the political and economic spheres. While acknowledging that a lot of work remained to be done, the foreign secretary said that women in Pakistan enjoyed far greater rights and freedom today than ever before.
Earlier, Amb. Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry welcomed the Foreign Secretary, who is the first woman to hold this high position. While lauding the rise of women to important positions in Pakistan and the improved awareness in the country vis-à-vis the rights of women, the Ambassador also highlighted the contribution made by Pakistani American women in the United States.
To highlight the diaspora’s accomplishments, three prominent Pakistani American women, representing different walks of life, were also invited to share their personal experiences. The speakers gave brief accounts of their achievements and encouraged women of Pakistani descent to work hard and excel in their respective disciplines to build a stronger diaspora and help build stronger ties between Pakistan and the United States.
U.S. Government officials, representatives from the academia and think-tank community as well as prominent members of the Pakistani American diaspora attended the event.
