WASHINGTON: A Day-long conference of Pakistan’s Consuls General in New York, Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles presided over by Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh concluded Sunday following deciding to actively interact with the community, enhance service delivery, and promote people-to-people relations with the U.S., particularly by boosting business linkages.
“The Pakistani community is our biggest asset; It is the most enduring link in Pak-US ties,” the Ambassador told the conference, as he called for stepped up efforts in order to address their issues. He added that they must accelerate efforts in order to organize their community, especially professional organizations.
According to a press release of Pakistani embassy, the Consuls General has apprised the Ambassador of the services being rendered to the community in their jurisdictions including passports, visas, and other consular services. The meeting also discussed various issues faced by the applicants and decided to approach relevant federal and provincial government departments to find their solutions.
The meeting also explored the possibility of extending biometric verification facilities for vehicle sales, land transfers, and bank account verifications, the press release added.
In his remarks, the envoy highlighted new steps taken by the government to ease the visa regime, especially for businesses as well as tourism, and stressed the need to create maximum awareness regarding them.
Trade Officers provided briefings on current efforts to promote bilateral trade, detailing measures taken to introduce Pakistani products and connect businesses with potential partners in the US. The Ambassador emphasized the necessity of attracting investment in priority areas, especially in self-sustaining businesses that have the potential to create job opportunities for the youth.
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