American Ambassador to Pakistan Ryan C. Crocker has said that joint efforts of Pakistan and US for international peace are highly praiseworthy. He expressed these views during a meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi here on Monday. American Consul General Brian Heath was also present on the occasion.
The Ambassador further said that Lahore was an important city of Pakistan, and it was playing a pivotal role in the overall economic development of the country.
Talking to the American Ambassador, Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi said the US played a commendable role in the relief and rehabilitation efforts of earthquake victims.
Referring to various projects of social reforms, Pervaiz Elahi said that effective implementation of education sector reforms programme had resulted in strengthening of this sector, which could greatly help in poverty alleviation and promoting the trends of tolerance and moderation in the society.
The US Ambassador to Pakistan Ryan C. Crocker has assured that he would take up the matter with the US authorities for duty-free access of the Pakistani products to be produced in earthquake areas to the US market.
He gave this assurance to the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) President Mian Shafqat Ali, who took up the matter with him, at a luncheon reception hosted by LCCI in his honour, here at Punjab Club on Tuesday.
LCCI Senior Vice President Abdul Basit, Vice President Aftab Ahmad Vohra, immediate past President Mian Misbahur Rehman, former President FPCCI Iftikhar Ali Malik and Executive Committee members were also present on the occasion. American Consul General Brian Heath was also present on the occasion, says a spokesman of the LCCI here on Tuesday.
The US Ambassador maintained that suggestion regarding duty-free access of Pakistani products to be prepared in the earthquake hit areas would help speedup the process of industrialisation in those areas.
The LCCI president said on this occasion that he would convince maximum number of businessmen from Lahore to put their industry in those areas once the United States gives its endorsement to the proposal of duty-free access to the products.
The US Ambassador also lauded the measures taken by the government of Pakistan for the rehabilitation of quake victims. He said that Pakistanis as a nation showed an unprecedented spirit which would be remembered for a long time to come. He said that Lahore is an important city and is playing pivotal role in the overall economic development of the country. He particularly appreciated the performance of LCCI's Research and Development Cell for the uplift of the country's economy.