Ahsan Iqbal felicitates US government on 248th Independence Day

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Ahsan Iqbal highlighted long-standing United States (US) and Pakistan friendship on the occasion of US Independence Day.

Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal said this while addressing as the Chief Guest at the celebration of the 248th anniversary of American independence hosted by the American Embassy in Islamabad.

While addressing a gathering of diplomats, business leaders, and academics to celebrate US Independence Day, the minister emphasized the resilience of 76 years long Pak-US partnership.

The event underscored the ongoing commitment of both nations to foster strong diplomatic relations and addressing global challenges in a collaborative manner.

He appreciated US support to advance education, IT infrastructure, and agriculture technology and disaster mitigation in Pakistan.

He specifically thanked US for its assistance to Pakistan to recover from the effects of 2022 floods.

Referring to 1960s Green Revolution in Pakistan, he spoke that significant progress in the agricultural field was made possible through the warm support from US. He also suggested that Pakistan is in need of a Green Revolution 2.0 that ensures food and climate security.

The Minister announced that bilateral trade between Pakistan and the US exceeded $12 billion in 2023, with Pakistani exports reaching $6 billion.

He expressed his ambition to diversify trade in sectors like textiles, agriculture, and technology, and to expand exports to the US market, particularly in IT services and pharmaceuticals.

He also highlighted Pakistan’s growing entrepreneurial ecosystem and the potential for start-up collaborations, venture capital investments, and innovation hubs to drive technological advancements.

The Minister shared his personal experience of studying at The Wharton School in Pennsylvania in the 80s and praised American universities for their significant role in driving economic development through innovation and entrepreneurship. He also mentioned the US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor initiative, which aims to train 10,000 Ph.D. scholars in top US universities over ten years.

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He cited examples of cooperation in the fields of education, trade, IT, disaster mitigation and social sector. He emphasized the importance of nurturing and deepening these relationships for mutual benefit.