Only people-to-people ties can help bridge gap in Pak-US relations: Aizaz Chaudhry

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WASHINGTON: Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry urged the need of increasing people-to-people ties between Pakistan and the United States (US) that could offset negative variation in ties at the government level.

He cited the example of cooperation between Faisalabad Agricultural University and experts from California University that led to “revolutionary performance” of Pakistan’s agriculture sector in late 1950s and 1960s.

He made these remarks while addressing the inaugural oath-taking ceremony of the newly-formed Pakistani American Press Association (PAPA) at a restaurant in Virginia.

The ambassador said that the government-to-government ties had their ups and downs. Only the people-to-people relations counted, since those were mutually beneficial, rewarding and long lasting.

He said that the cause of durable uplift in bilateral ties would come only with willing cooperation and investment in time, skills and capabilities. He said that Pakistanis were talented people, who had an extraordinary and enviable spirit to excel.

Ambassador Chaudhry said that Pakistani Americans could help bridge the gap in Pakistan-US ties and help strengthen and make vibrant the bilateral relations. He had high hopes in Pakistani Americans who were highly talented and committed to the prosperity of their motherland as well as their new adopted homeland.

The ambassador, on the occasion, announced that a day-long “Convention of Community and Youth” would be organised in Washington DC on April 14 to “invite ideas” and “connecting the dots”. Politicians, officials, scholars, high achievers, experts from various fields and the first and the second generation Pakistani-Americans were invited.

He said that in a variety of fields, valuable work was underway, while it was not in common knowledge. Hence, it was vital to bring the experts and men of wisdom and knowledge on a single platform, so as to help connect the dots, he added.

The other speakers included State of Virginia Education Secretary Atif Qarni, Dr Akbar S Ahmad, Dr Frank Islam and Republican Party Strategist Sajid Tarar.