"The US government is ready to provide all forms of possible co-operation to Pakistani businessmen to get their proper share in the US market," said Mett Lowe, a representative of USAID, while addressing the Executive Committee members of the MCCI, chaired by Brigadier (Retd.) Ata-ullah Khan, Senior Vice President. "As well as help alleviate poverty in Southern Punjab with the collaboration of the Multan Chamber," he added.
Mett Lowe stated, "We want to keep the MCCI as our coalition partner in the project of rooting out poverty, so that all sections of society could play their role in redressing the grievances of the masses in Southern Punjab." He added that USAID would play its role in industrial development to help the masses by raising their standard of living.
And that joblessness was the main factor behind poverty, which would be redressed through revolutionary changes in the Agricultural and Industrial sector. "The FTA was not possible," he said, "because, providing Pakistan's textile sector with free access would result in job losses in the USA."
He said that Pakistani entrepreneurs should come up with more creative ideas, like China, to get more business in the USA. Pakistan already receives preferential treatment, as compared to India. He promised that he would suggest to the US government that more facilities and projects in the field of education and health be provided.
Mett Lowe said that the US government was already working in some underdeveloped and remote area of Punjab in the field of health care and for reducing child mortality. He said that the people of both countries should come closer to each other for better understanding.
Senior Vice President of MCCI, Brigadier (Retd) Ata-ullah Khan, said that there was wide scope for investment in Agriculture, Energy, Gas and Power and that US investors should come to Pakistan to rejuvenate the close trade ties between the two countries. He recapitulated that the MCCI, as a premiere chamber of Southern Punjab, had played a key role in the development of different sectors, like blue pottery, handicrafts, Agro-processing , embroidery, and knitting.
And that MCCI's think-tank had prepared a Master plan for South Punjab, which would change the destiny of the area, if USAID provided proper assistance. Khawaja Muhammad Yousaf said that in these circumstances there was a dire need to facilitate market access to Pakistani businessmen in all sectors, especially leather, leather garments and leather footwear.
The per capita shoe consumption of the USA is 8 shoes per annum, which is the highest in the world, and Europe, which is number two after the USA, consumes four pairs per annum. China is the main beneficiary of the US market while Pakistani export of shoes, garments, upholstery and leather is negligible compared to China's, India's, Italy's and Turkey's.
The US official, in turn, responded that due to frequent terrorist attacks, in the various cities of Pakistan, and following on the US government's advise not to travel here, customers were reluctant to visit Pakistan.
Khawaja Anis suggested that USAID should restart its project of providing free meals for patients in the hospitals of Southern Punjab to help to the poor. Keti Mcdonald, Mark, Aamna Mehmood Awan, Shamshad Jafferi, Ahsan Rashid, Alamgir Chaudhry, Tariq Khan, Iftikhar Ali Shah, Khawaja Farooq and Khurram Javed also spoke on the occasion.
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