Staff Reporter
Washington: Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, chaired a one-day conference of Pakistan’s Consul Generals at the Embassy in Washington D.C. The conference focused on enhancing effective communication with the Pakistani community, improving consular services, and strengthening economic relations with the United States.
The six-hour-long meeting was attended by Consul Generals from Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, and New York, along with commercial and trade officers from the Pakistani consulates. The Consul Generals provided detailed briefings on the consular services being offered to the Pakistani community, including visa, passport, and other consular services. The meeting also discussed the issues faced by applicants and potential solutions, with some matters to be referred to the relevant federal and provincial governments.
Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh emphasized that the Pakistani community was the country’s greatest asset and the most enduring link in Pakistan-U.S. relations. He urged the Consul Generals and trade officers to focus on exploring trade opportunities at the state level.
The Ambassador highlighted new measures taken by the government to simplify the visa system, especially for business and tourism, and stressed the need to raise awareness about these initiatives. Trade officers briefed on ongoing efforts to promote bilateral trade, particularly introducing Pakistani products and connecting the Pakistani business community with their American counterparts.
Ambassador Sheikh underscored the importance of attracting investment in priority sectors, particularly self-sustaining businesses that could create employment opportunities for the youth.
The conference concluded with a renewed commitment to effective community engagement, improved service delivery, and fostering public relations, particularly in promoting business ties.