WASHINGTON – Pakistan American Business Association (PABA) hosted a farewell lunch in honour of Pakistan Ambassador to the US Jalil Abbas Jilani today.
The event was very well attended by distinguished Senators, Congressmen, elected officials, academicians and prominent community members. Mr Siddique Sheikh, Chairman PABA paid rich tribute to Ambassador Jilani and acknowledged his efforts not only in promoting Pak-US relations during his tenure but also for the welfare of Pakistani-American community.
In his address, Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani said that he would be carrying home unforgettable memories related to his stay in the US capital. Washington was a global capital and he enjoyed representing his country during his stay here.
Ambassador Jilani lauded the efforts made by PABA in promoting and strengthening economic and trade activities between Pakistan and the US over last 25 years. He reiterated that bilateral relations between Pakistan and the US were on a solid track and looked extremely promising in near future.
On the occasion, Ambassador Jilani remarked that Pakistan and the USA had worked closely together for promoting common objectives right from the beginning. Pakistan had been part of the US-led alliances SEATO and CENTO which bears testimony to the fact that Pakistan had been a close ally of the US over the years. At present, Pakistan and the US have been extending cooperation through Working Groups in key areas such as counter terrorism, defence cooperation, education, nuclear non-proliferation and energy sectors. Pakistan and the USA needed to build on their commonalities for further deepening bilateral relations, he added.
Ambassador Jilani underscored that Pakistan had successfully carried out a campaign of historical proportion to address the menace of terrorism. Pakistan and the US had collectively taken up the challenge of terrorism and over the last two years, terrorism-related incidents in Pakistan have reduced significantly, which reflected in the economy. Pakistan Stock Market had surpassed the other markets in the region. Business opportunities in Pakistan are increasing. The Ambassador reiterated that Pakistan was looking forward to closely working with the new US administration, emphasising that regional and global challenges can be met effectively only after collaboration.
The Pakistan American Business Association (PABA) is a global member-based, not-for-profit business organisation serving as an economic bridge between the United States of America and Pakistan.
