Embassy of
Islamic Republic of Pakistan Washington, D.C.
AMBASSADOR’S MESSAGE
EMBASSY NEWSLETTER July 2017
This being first contact with the subscribers through the newsletter, I wish to share a distinct sense of pride and responsibility that comes with this prestigious assignment as Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States. I commend my predecessor, Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani, on a successful completion of his tenure. Pak-US relations form a most resilient aspect of Pakistan’s foreign policy. It has survived multiple tests of times, over the past seven decades. I have been clearly entrusted with the mandate to deepen this bilateral relationship and conveyed the same message to Honorable President Donald J. Trump upon presentation of credentials on April 24, 2017. I have assumed this responsibility at a critical juncture. It is a time of fast evolving changes in the global as well as the regional context. Pakistan, over the past three years, has been going through a sustained spell of positive evolution with particular reference to the security and economic domains. The positive reality has been evolving at such a fast pace in Pakistan that I find the perception certain quarters in Washington DC lagging far behind.In a flurry of activity during the past two and a half months, I have been consciously working to close this gap by bringing my contacts up to speed on Pakistan’s potential as a country brimming with promise, during engagements with the Administration, think tanks, academia and other influential circles. I could discern a desire for multifaceted relationship with Pakistan during contact with the new US Administration. There have already been high level visits including that of NSA McMaster to Islamabad and Finance Minister Dar to Washington DC. These visits were useful in affording the opportunity of sharing perspectives with regard to the way forward in this important bilateral relationship. Finance Minister Dar spent a busy week in Washington with back to back meetings characterized by wide ranging discussions on economic and political issues. A summary of his key engagements features in the newsletter.
IN THIS ISSUE Pakistan day
02
Ambassador’s congressional outreach
03
Meetings with U.S. administration
05
Engagements with U.S. think tanks
06
Economy, trade & investment
08
Media outreach
13
Outreach to educational institutes
15
Community outreach
17
Embassy events
19
Miscellaneous
21
AMBASSADOR PRESENTS HIS CREDENTIALS TO PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP
I am fully cognizant of the pivotal role of the Pakistani-American community towards strengthening multifaceted Pak-US relationship anchored in people to people contact. I have established a template of close contact with the community during visits to New York, New Jersey, LA and Houston since assumption of Office and intend to build on this tradition. 2017 marks the 70th year of Pak-US relations and we have already launched a series of events to mark seven decades of friendship. This newsletter would continue to form an important medium of communication with the community and other subscribers. Changes for the better in both its form and substance would be noticeable as we go. -Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry
1 www.embassyofpakistanusa.org