WASHINGTON: The Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF), which is dedicated to the welfare of the community, met at the Pakistan Embassy Tuesday where its members were warmly welcomed by Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh.
“The doors of the Pakistani Embassy are open to community initiatives that contribute to the development and progress of our homeland,” he told the gathering in the Embassy’s Jamsheed Marker Hall, according to a press release.
At the outset, Syed Qamar Raza, Chairman of the OPF’s Board of Governors, outlined the Foundation’s services for expatriates and its future initiatives. He said he was working to further improve delivery of services to overseas Pakistanis and their families, and ensure the swift resolution of their concerns.
Raza also announced the expansion of the OPF’s Advisory Council from 15 to 200 members, with the aim of fostering inclusivity and ensuring the involvement of all sectors in Pakistan’s development. He stressed the importance of unity among the community, transcending political, linguistic, and other affiliations, for the nation’s progress.
Ambassador Sheikh, in his remarks, also said that the Embassy’s resources, both infrastructure and manpower, were available to support the community.
Citing past examples where the minority Pakistani community members were facilitated in organizing events at the Embassy, he assured that such efforts would continue.
“Pakistan is our identity. None of us would have been here today if Pakistan didn’t exist,” he said, emphasizing that all individuals residing in the United States would always be recognized as Pakistani-Americans and that it was everyone’s responsibility to work together for the development of Pakistan, setting aside personal affiliations and priorities.
Pointing out that the US is Pakistan’s largest trading partner, he stressed that strengthening US-Pakistan relations, particularly in economic terms, would directly benefit the Pakistani-American community.
He urged the community to play an active role in cementing the is partnership, saying, “I want to work with the Pakistani community to ensure that mutual Pak-US interests are realized.”
The ambassador commended the growing political influence of the Pakistani community in the US, noting that their active engagement in the American political process would further strengthen US-Pakistan ties.
In his closing remarks, OPF Chairman Raza called for the community’s full cooperation in advancing the Foundation’s goals, particularly in doubling the current foreign remittance.
The event also featured speeches from prominent community activists, including Jawad Shirazi, Asad Chaudhry, Ayesha Khan and Mazhar Chughtai.
