F.P. Report
WASHINGTON DC : Pakistan was a dream for hundreds of millions of Muslims of South Asia. It was the Quaid-i-Azam who gave it concrete form and substance. Today we pay tribute to him, his comrades and followers for making this dream, this miracle a reality.
And the dream came true on August 14, 1947. Today we celebrate 76 years of our independence. On this day, we thank God Almighty for his bounteous blessing on us.
Pakistan has an ideology, a vision and a destiny. Our state gives us identity. We have a compass to reach our destination, our North – and the real North is a politically stable, economically prosperous Pakistan anchored in eternal values of liberty, equality and justice.
We will continue to work for a peaceful neighborhood where all can live in harmony.
While we shape a bright future for our people, we are aware of the threats to our nation. We would eliminate them and prevail, as always. The dream of Pakistan is incomplete without the realisation of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
We pay tribute to Shuhuda and Ghazis who have been giving their ultimate sacrifices for making our homeland secure.
Today is a day to count our blessings, celebrate our successes, reaffirm our aspirations and resolve to scale new heights in our journey. There is plenty to be optimistic about and the sky is the limit for what we can.
But we will not sit on our laurels. It is our shared responsibility to reject merchants of despair and devalue the currency of fake fables. If we have to move forward, there is no room for despondency and dejection, doom and gloom.
Have faith in Pakistan. Our unshakeable belief in the state of Pakistan will take us to the places we aspire. Our commitment to democracy is strong and unwavering. Our forthcoming electoral processes would usher in an era of political resilience and economic viability. Here in the United States, we can celebrate yet another year of growing diplomatic ties between our two countries and economic partnerships.
We are thankful to the US Government, Congress and the American people for their support for stronger bilateral relations and for standing by us during last year’s devastating floods. We are particularly grateful to Secretary Blinken for his message of solidarity and friendship on our Independence Day!
Today, we also celebrate successes of Pakistani-Americans.
Their numbers have grown. They have become more prosperous and they are becoming politically savvy. Ten amongst you have become members of States Assemblies or Senates; and your representation in the Administration is growing. You make us proud.
I have good news to share with you. Pakistan has started regaining its economic strength. Our GDP should climb up to 3.5 percent this fiscal year. We are expecting heavy inflows of foreign investment.
The Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) has announced the inclusion of 15 Pakistani companies in its Frontier Market Indexes. This will increase the total number of Pakistani companies in this index to 17. What’s more, MSCI is listing 41 companies of Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) in its MSCI Frontier Markets Small Cap Indexes. These decisions should open new doors for investment in Pakistan.
Moreover, the Gulf States – Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar and Bahrain – are entering into Pakistani markets in a big way by investing in mining, refineries, ports, airports and agriculture. This should expand space for American investments.
You are the power house behind the Roshan Digital Account. In the last fiscal year, the cumulative foreign currency inflows through Rohan Digital Accounts (RDAs) by Pakistani diaspora have surpassed $6.5 billion. We know that Pakistani Americans have a major share in this upswing. Congratulations and thanks!
Pakistan-US trade is on track. Your remittances to Pakistan remain steady. Last year you sent nearly $2.5 billion to your motherland, the same as the previous year.
The IT sector, especially tech startups, are being supported by Venture Capital Funds.
These are good trendlines. Let’s build on them.
Happy Independence Day!
Long Live Pakistan!
Long Live Pakistan-US friendship.
