Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer said Monday asking for trade is not begging. He was addressing the victory celebration dinner of All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) at the residence of Javed Iqbal, head of Businessmen Panel. Governor Punjab said Pakistan is always darling of West whenever the latter has to fulfil its strategic interests in the region.
"Pakistan is left into lurch whenever the interests of the West are served," he lamented. According to him, he has made clear to US Secretary of State and Senator John Kerry that Pakistanis were a brave nation and they would survive out of flood like they did in case of earthquake and terrorism.
He hailed the business community for pulling the poor people of Southern Punjab out of crisis during recent floods. He said Pakistan was asking for trade and this is what majority of the world countries do. Therefore, the US should extend a hand of trade and not merely aid, as asking for trade was not begging.
US Consul General in Lahore Carmela Conroy said the US has been on forefront in helping Pakistan in social sector and development of power sector. She said the US initiatives are not in response to any begging. She also pointed out that Pakistan textile industry was occupying 25 percent of US imports from Pakistan and the US has always been positive towards Pakistan on this front. Federal Textile Minister Rana Farooq Saeed and Aptma Chairman Gohar Ejaz also spoke on the occasion.
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