Pak traders to get access to US market, says Hillary
Friday, October 30, 2009
The news
By Our Correspondent
LAHORE
AMERICAN Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said that the US would provide Pakistani traders access to open market in US and extensive job opportunities.
Addressing a moot of traders at the Governor’s House on Thursday, she said besides extending cooperation at all levels, US wanted to invest in Pakistan. She said that democracy, proactive contributions from the civil society and the market economy were an important mainstay of any civilised and developing society. She said it was encouraging to know about the progressive and patriotic vision of the representatives of the traders’ community.
Earlier, Punjab Governor Salman Taseer welcomed the US Secretary of state in the traditional Punjabi custom of saying “Jee Ayaan Nu.” He said that Lahore was the city of gardens, culture, food, sports and politics. He said that the Pakistanis enjoyed absolute freedom of expression through a free media policy. He said that the government aimed for a broad based long term and persistent development infrastructure through concentrating on our strengths like textile and market strengthening. The governor said that the country was going through testing times, like any other country at war, but the best thing was that the people of Pakistan understood the significance of this war and were with the government to uproot all such miscreant and militant factions, which intended to breach the rights of the people by enforcing their self-defined system of tyranny on Pakistanis.
He said that the Pakistan Army was in high spirits and were achieving their set goals and targets in an outstanding fashion. The governor said that Pakistan was well on its way when it comes to uphold the democratic values. Mentioning the Kerry-Lugar Bill, he said that the bill was openly debated not just in the media and by the people of Pakistan but an extensive debate on the bill in the parliament was a testament of the fact that the democratic ethics were being practiced in principle and actions in the country.
Later, Hillary Clinton said that the United States understood and regarded the needs of Pakistan and would cooperate with the government in construction of dams and local energy production systems. She said that the US would install 10,000 tubewells in Pakistan. The Secretary of state said that Pak-Afghan trade was subdued due to the Afghan election, but now that they are over, these ties will resume and trade opportunities to the eastern and mid-eastern countries will open up.
While answering a question by All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) representative regarding discriminatory attitude towards the Pakistani textiles while more market share is given to the African countries, she said that US would see to the fact that the textile industry of Pakistan got its due share without facing any discrimination at any level.
Hillary Clinton said that the US wanted to help Pakistan grew as an economically and socially strong nation for which it would do all that was needed. She said that special attention would be given to women empowerment in the Pakistani society. She commended the Benazir Income Support Programme for the welfare of Pakistani women.