Urging Pak-Americans to foster democratic values of respect and tolerance for diverse views among them, Pakistan's new envoy to the United States, Husain Haqqani said on Friday night that unity in their ranks would not only be beneficial for the community but would also help advance US-Pak relations.
Addressing a large gathering of Pakistani community in Queens, a borough of New York City, the Ambassador called for acquiring deeper knowledge of the issues and problems and to develop a wider outlook, in step with the contemporary world.
He said: "We should moderate expression of our views, be respectful to the views of our own people and others, as also learn to live with diversity of views of people in the country you have adopted as your home," he said. "Avoid remaining stuck in the positions adopted years ago, as the situation is constantly evolving."
After assumption of the post last week, this was Haqqani's first interaction with the Pakistani community in New York--which is home to a large population of Pakistani diaspora--and chose the theme of moderation, reconciliation and unity in his impassioned address.
The event was organised by the Pakistan League of America, one of oldest Pakistani organisations which help the community members to come together. Haqqani said that a balanced approach to the issues facing them within the community and those confronting the country internationally, like relations with the United States, could help a great deal in moving forward.
There was an urgent need to develop democratic culture, the hallmark of democracy, he said. Without that democracy would not take root in the country, he added. He said: "Let us not get ourselves bogged down in our difference as a community but rise above to strive for united efforts to achieve something for our country."
He said that since 1950, US-Pak relations have seen some ups and downs, but the two countries remained friends, not adversaries. Noting that some Pakistanis have strong feeling about some of US actions, he said, "While expressing our grievances, we should also focus on the benefits that the friendship with the United States has brought about for our country. If, at some point in time, our aid was cut off, it was later resumed."
As ambassador, he said, he would remain accessible to the Pakistani-Americans and help them in whatever way was possible. But he reminded the community that his first and foremost duty here was to improve the relations between Pakistan and the United States.
He pointed out that Pakistan Embassy in Washington and the Consulate-General do not have the capacity to resolve the tensions and disputes between the community members. "That is something you have to do," he told his compatriots, urging them to come together. "If you create unity among yourselves, you will free us to the do the job we have to perform here." Earlier, a number of speakers, including Shafqat Tanveer and Dr Shafi Bezar, welcomed the ambassador and spoke on various aspects of the situation in Pakistan.
Comments
Comments are closed.