As my assignment as an American Consul General in Karachi ends, I will express my deep gratitude to the people of Pakistan, especially Sindh and Balochistan, for the incredible warmth and hospitality you have shown to me and my team. I would also like to share a few reflections on my time in Karachi and the enormous potential of the American Pakistan partnership.
Nowhere is the potential for our partnership greater than in our financial conditions, where we have seen real progress and still have room for much more growth ahead.
I had the honor of talking at an event at Port Qasim earlier this year to celebrate the return of us soybeans to the Pakistani market, a major US export that will help lower food costs in Pakistan.
I have met dozens of Pakistani companies buying high-quality American cotton-the largest US exports to Pakistan and exporting Pakistani textiles to the United States, Pakistan’s largest export market.
From visiting the Mondelez chocolate and Tang factories in Hub, Balochistan and the Colgate factory in Hyderabad, I have seen first-hand how American companies in Sindh and Balochistan create high quality jobs for thousands of Pakistani men and women. American companies also contribute to communities through generous social responsibilities that support education and health. In collaboration, the United States and Pakistan can unlock the enormous potential of Pakistan’s economy and contribute to the prosperity of both our countries.
One of the highlights of my time as a Consul General was to engage in the next generation of Pakistani leaders and innovators. Many of these young leaders are alumni of US government-funded exchange programs, now part of the lively Pakistan-USA-Alumni network (Puan) with over 45,000 members throughout Pakistan.
On my travels around Sindh – from Sukkur and Jacobabad to Hyderabad and Jamshoro – I have been inspired to meet many of these alumni who have brought valuable experience from the United States and made it into action for the benefit of their community.
Here in Karachi, I have met hundreds of talented college students and young innovators, including a group of Pakistani female innovators participating in an American -funded South Asian regional female women’s mentoring programs that use technology to tackle problems such as waste management and market access for Pakistani Handicrafts. Entrepreneurial spirit and innovation of these young leaders give me great hope for Pakistan’s future.
As a huge sports fan, I will appreciate my memories of sports diplomacy here in Karachi: Jubilee over Pakistan’s cricket team during the tri-nation series at Karachi National Stadium, meet the legendary squash master Jahangir Khan at the U23 World Squash Championship in Karachi and play Softball on the American Pakistan-squashball food. These and other moments were a reminder of our two countries’ mutual love of sports and the sports force to bring people together.
Being the US Consul General in Karachi has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. However, what I will miss most of all is Pakistani people – your hospitality, kindness, resilience and friendship. And although I’m sorry to say goodbye to the team of dedicated Pakistani and American staff at the US Consulate and the friends I’ve made in Pakistan, I leave Karachi sure that the US-Pakistani partnership will continue to grow and thrive.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and does not necessarily reflect Pakinomist.tv’s editorial policy.
The author is the Consul General of the US Consulate Consulate in Karachi.
