“Stay connected to your roots, invest in Pakistan and continue to build bridges between Pakistan and the US,” said Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States. “Now is the time to stand united, support the motherland and dismiss all negativity that was being spread to create despondency. If we become polarized, we will grow weak,” he said. “Pakistan has a future. Together we will take it to its destination of being the world’s leading economy and one of the strongest nations”’ he added. Ambassador Masood Khan made these remarks during his interaction with Pakistani-American diaspora at the residence of Dr. Rao Kamran Ali who hosted the event during a one day visit of the Ambassador to Dallas, Texas. Addressing the community, the Ambassador highlighted the ascending trajectory in Pak-US relations and the recent momentum built in the bilateral ties with high-level engagements and multifaceted dialogue processes. He said that cooperation in education sector was the most important plank of the relationship and the strongest thread of the mutual bonds. He highlighted the presence of over 8500 Pakistani student in various academic institutes and universities of the United States. The Ambassador said that efforts were being made to double the number of Pakistani students in the US. He emphasized the importance of STEM education and how Pakistani students can make a difference in these fields. Masood Khan appreciated the Pakistani-American community for their contributions to both Pakistan and the United States, highlighting their professional achievements and positive impact on the bilateral relationship. The Ambassador noted the growth of the Pakistani-American community and their increased visibility in political arena and public sector of the United States. Inviting community leaders to invest in Pakistan, the Ambassador highlighted a range of sectors of the economy including minerals, oil and gas, education, health, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and others which promised guaranteed dividends to the investors. Earlier, the Ambassador met meeting with Congressman Keith Self (R-TX), member of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee. He thanked Congressman for supporting closer ties between Pakistan and the United States. The Ambassador observed that there existed a huge potential to enhance the existing Pak-US cooperation in diverse fields, particularly in the areas of agriculture, energy, IT and semiconductors. Acknowledging Texas' position as a leader in both traditional energy sectors like oil and gas, as well as in renewable energy, Masood Khan proposed closer collaboration in these areas to diversify Pakistan's energy sources and enhance its energy security. He also highlighted growing IT sector of Pakistan and the potential for collaboration with Texas' robust tech sector, including semiconductor manufacturing. Masood Khan also noted the contributions being made by Pakistani-American diaspora in Texas as well as towards the socio-economic development of Pakistan. He underscored the need for strengthening people to people linkages for boosting trade, investment and cultural relations. Congressman Keith welcomed the Ambassador to Texas and said that he looked forward to working closely with him and community leaders to forge closer ties with Pakistan. The Ambassador was also invited as the Chief Guest at Sadequain’s paintings exhibition in Dallas, Texas organized by Sadequain Foundation USA, Sadequain Gallery Chicago and Urdu Ghar Dallas.
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