US Consul General in Lahore Ms Nina Maria Fite has expressed the wish that she wants fostering relations between the two strategic partners through close people-to-people contacts. Talking to APP on Sunday, she said, "With the melting of snows on the advent of spring season in Pakistan, the frost in Pak-US relations will thaw."
The US diplomat said the US is waiting for the strategic paper from Pakistan on the Pak-US relations after duly approved by its Parliament. The US is committed to stronger relations with Pakistan since both the countries have various common causes to cooperate, she added.
She expressed the US government's resolve to provide maximum support to Pakistan in the fields of economics, education and culture. The US is happy to be here in close partnership with the people of Pakistan, she added. Ms Nina Fite took pride in the fact that she watched very closely making of the Pak-Afghan Transit Trade Agreement during her posting as Deputy Economic Counselor in Kabul, Afghanistan, stressing that greater trade ties with its neighbouring countries in the region ensured economic boom. She admitted her enchantment with the charm, beauty, timelessness and rich cultural heritage of Lahore, saying that she was lucky to be here.
Replying to a query, she said being a graduate in architecture, she admired fascinating and wonderful architecture of the Moghul period of the Lahore Fort, Badshahi Mosque, Wazir Khan Mosque as well as the contemporary architecture of the Al-Hamra.
Talking about various initiatives, Ms Nina said the US Consulate Lahore had introduced special initiatives for promotion of cultural activities as well as preservation of historic sites in Lahore as well as Punjab under the US Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation. With a keen passion for gardening, Ms Fite said she was awed by the magnificence and grace of the Shalamar Gardens, adding that she had been to the Chrysanthemum exhibition in the Jilani Park and looked forward to the Rose Exhibition to be held in April next.
Referring to her preference for the fish food in Punjab to the spicy Punjabi dishes, she said she had special liking for the "carrot-halwa" (Gajar ka Halwa).
"I'm touched by the hospitality of the Lahorites. The people are large-hearted and have made her feel great wherever she went in Pakistan, especially Punjab", she said while eulogising the hospitality of the people in Punjab.
About the oriental dresses, Nina said she preferred the dresses which respected Pakistani cultural values. Regarding her presence at the women cricket event in the provincial metropolis, the diplomat was nostalgic of her first foreign posting in Jamaica, adding that she developed a liking for cricket during this period as she happened to watch the West-Indies, Australia cricket series - the days when West-Indies ruled the cricketing world.
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