ISLAMABAD  -  United States Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome appreciating Pakistan’s contribution to counter-terrorism, underlined his country’s commitment to support Pakistan on the subject.

The envoy was the keynote speaker at the international conference on July 24, 2024, titled “Strengthening Pakistan-US Relations” organised by the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI), in collaboration with Beaconhouse National University (BNU) Lahore. The event featured distinguished diplomats, practitioners, and academics from both Pakistan and the United States.

On the occasion, Ambassador Blome discussed the importance of the US-Pakistan relationship, emphasizing the long history of partnership and cooperation between the two nations.

He highlighted the US recognition of Pakistan’s potential, particularly its dynamic young population and economic opportunities.

Ambassador Blome appreciated Pakistan’s contribution to counter-terrorism and underlined the US commitment to supporting Pakistan in various areas, including countering regional threats, economic collaboration, renewable energy, climate management, and education.

He underscored that the US-Pakistan partnership goes beyond security and includes significant investments in health, trade, and development sectors.

“Simply put, we recognize Pakistan’s enormous potential. It is one of the world’s most populous countries, with a growing and dynamic young population.  And in my engagements with that young generation, I continue to be impressed by their ambitions, their ideas, their commitment to seeing a better and brighter future for their country. Those sentiments represent economic opportunities to explore in climate, technology, manufacturing, trade, security – areas for growth and development that would not only benefit Pakistan but also the region and the world. We want Pakistan and its citizens to realize those possibilities,” he maintained.

At the same time, he added: “We cannot ignore our cooperation in combating threats to regional and global peace and security. We recognize the sacrifices Pakistanis have made to confront terrorism, and we will continue to be a partner in strengthening your ability to counter these threats.  A stable and secure Pakistan is key to ensuring broader regional stability, and we want to help advance that shared objective.”

The envoy said many argue that security issues have been at the center of US-Pakistan relationship, “but I would counter that they are not – and should not be -- the sole defining aspect of our partnership.  In the past few years alone, the United States and Pakistan have tackled great obstacles – such as floods, a pandemic, economic setbacks.  Those of us who have worked together to strengthen this relationship have always recognized that our partnership is, and has always been, part of a longer journey toward increased prosperity and security for both our two nations.  And each step of this journey, across many different fields, has been important.”

He said the United States was committed to seeing this partnership succeed and flourish, which is why “we have invested so much in it over the years.  And I’d like to spend just a little bit of time now to highlight just how we have done that.”

The Ambassador said the US and Pakistan can start now with the economic partnership - one of the cornerstones of the relationship.  “The significance of our economic ties is evident in our trade relations.  The United States is Pakistan’s largest export market globally, and last year alone bilateral trade between our nations exceeded $9 billion, a testament to the robust economic relationship we share. It bears noting that Pakistan runs about a $3 billion trade surplus with the United States,” he mentioned.

Ambassador Blome said the private sector had recognized Pakistan’s potential and has also contributed to growth and prosperity.

“American businesses have played a leading role in Pakistan since its founding, further deepening our connections.  US firms overwhelmingly employ Pakistanis from top to bottom, train them for the highest technical and management levels.  These employees go on to establish and run their own global firms, helping Pakistan realize its enormous potential and showcasing the far-reaching impact of our economic collaboration.  They bring American values of openness, transparency, and community citizenship to the private sector here.  These companies provide nearly a hundred thousand Pakistani jobs, drive critical research and development, and support local communities,” he elaborated.

He said the US fully supported Pakistan’s work with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to develop a sustainable approach to its budget and fiscal challenges, and Pakistan has made important progress on this front in recent days.  “Pakistan needs to solve the problem of generating economic growth, which will only come through unleashing the creativity and energy of its private sector,” he said.

Beyond these areas, he said, the United States has been a leading contributor to Pakistan’s development.

“US assistance has most notably supported infrastructure initiatives, including the rehabilitation and completion of the Mangla, Tarbela, Gomal Zam, Satpara, and Golen Gol hydroelectric projects.  These dams provide clean, affordable energy to millions of homes, prevent catastrophic water shortages, and mitigate the damaging effects of flooding.  Today we are upgrading Mangla with new General Electric turbines.  These originals lasted 50 years, and the new versions will last another 50 years.  That’s a 100-year investment in Pakistan the United States has funded directly, not through loans.  That is what we mean by commitment,” he said.

The envoy said in addition to the more than $215 million “we provided for flood recovery and relief, we are also making investments in clean energy, water, and agriculture to help better position Pakistan for the future.”

Ambassador Mariam Madiha Aftab, Additional Secretary (Americas), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the occasion, said that the US-Pakistan relationship is dynamic and multifaceted, covering areas such as health, trade, defense, and energy security.

She emphasized the importance of economic collaboration, security cooperation, educational exchanges, and climate change initiatives. She also addressed regional dynamics, stressing the need for the US to play a crucial role in fostering peace and stability, and called for a peaceful resolution of the Jammu & Kashmir dispute in line with UN Security Council resolutions and will of the Kashmiri people.

Ambassador Mansoor Khan, Director of the Beaconhouse Center for Policy Research (BCPR), emphasized the multifaceted nature of Pakistan-US relations, highlighting political, security, defense cooperation, and economic ties. He announced the launch of a new undergraduate course on Pakistan-US relations at BNU.

Dr. Neelum Nigar, Director of the Centre for Strategic Perspectives at ISSI, noted the significant contributions of the US to Pakistan’s development in sectors like education, healthcare, and climate change. She stressed the need for mutual respect and cooperation to address contemporary challenges and opportunities.

Ambassador Sohail Mahmood, Director General of ISSI, provided an extensive overview of the historical and current dynamics of Pakistan-US relations.

He acknowledged the evolving nature of the partnership, with a shift in focus from security to areas like trade, investment, energy, and people-to-people exchanges.

He noted the cyclical pattern of bilateral relations, shaped by external factors, regional developments, and a narrower security-centric focus over the past many decades. Stressing the importance of realistic expectations, he called for greater attention to Pakistan’s historical role and cumulative power potential in the emerging global order and the need for the US to focus on Pakistan’s preoccupations and interests. Relating to regional concerns, particularly the impact of US-India strategic partnership on Pakistan’s security especially within the ‘Indo-Pacific’ construct, he called for a responsive approach from Washington.

He also emphasized that Pakistan wished to nimbly navigate the complex dynamics of US-China competition, and wished that cooperation rather than confrontation would be the key driver of their relationship.

Highlighting mutual benefits from past cooperation, such as Sino-US rapprochement and post-9/11 counter-terrorism efforts, Ambassador Sohail Mahmood stressed the alignment of new trade and investment emphases with Pakistan’s pivot to geo-economics.