Advice to U.S--set aside gun; extend the hand of friendship to the people of Pakistan

        The following press report indicates that there is a substantial shift in the attitude of the U.S. Government towards Pakistan. Whatever may be said about the U.S policy towards Pakistan, it is a fact that billions of dollars have flowed to Pakistan from the U.S. It is another fact that the real fruits of U.S. assistance have not gone to the people of Pakistan. U.S. can equally be blamed for this negligence because its understanding was only with Military Governments for specific purposes. Uplifting of the standard of the people was not the aim of the U.S. Government which is evident from this fact that billions of dollars were transferred to Pakistan and distributed among various groups which created problems both for the people of Pakistan and the U.S. I have a suggestion to the U.S. Government and officials of the U.S. embassy in Pakistan to open offices in every District of the Country having staff from the U.S to study the conditions for the investment and then appoint the people in order to have a joint working relationship. Thus Pak-U.S. relations would be strengthened through investment and giving job opportunities to the people of the local areas. Pakistani Government officials should have no control but the matter should have backing and supervision of the Pakistani foreign office and the U.S embassy in order to ensure this fact that the work is in the favour of both the Countries. Pakistani Government officials were controlling the affairs so far but gave no promising results instead created and widened the rift between the Pakistani and American people. They failed to create friendship between the people of both countries. On the other hand the U.S. Government would also have to give up the policy of gun and missile like China if it really wants to have better relations with the people of Pakistan. Gun and missile policy has badly failed. This is investment age. Payments made only to a few persons or to the Finance Ministry of Pakistan produced nothing. Salaries to the workers should be according to American standard because the living standard of the people of Pakistan can change only when they are paid according to American Standard by the U.S. investors. According to our standard, the workers are living in such deplorable condition that they cannot get any thing either for themselves or for their young ones.

        The people of my Country are much friendlier if they were properly treated. American Government has wasted huge amounts of dollars on other Countries but produced no good name for its Country because use of wealth followed by guns and missiles produce adverse results. The infra structure in every field of life which we inherited from the British Government is still intact, especially the railway track. Despite passing 62 years, no improvement was made in it which shows that the British sincerely developed this infra structure. Their cement and gravel constructions are still more strong than those which have been done after their departure. The Penal Laws and other laws which are used as procedural laws still in vogue in the Government departments. It seems to me that only white skinned people have gone back everything is there of our colonial masters. When we are the custodian of everything of colonial era then there should be no shame in this fact that the Americans should come along with their dollars and work with Pakistani manpower. The majority of our educated people have sufficient proficiency in communication in English language and they would feel no difficulty in communication.

      I hope that Pak-U.S relations would strengthen with the passage of time through this strategy.

Manzoor Ahmad Yousafzai

Marghuz Balar Khel, District Swabi. 

Wednesday, September 09, 2009

US envoy discusses prospects of ROZs (Statesman report)

SWABI: Ambassador of the United States of America (USA) to Pakistan, Anne.W Patterson, leading a high level delegation, Monday paid a visit to Gadoon Amazai Industrial Estate with respect to observer prospects of US sponsored Reconstruction Opportunity Zones (ROZs).

The US envoy visited different sections of the industrial zone and also paid adetailed visit to Saif Textile Mills.

Later, US Ambassador attended a meeting held at Saif Textile Mills in regard with holding discussion with industrialists about setting up of ROZs in the area.

The meeting was attended by Chairman Saif Textile Mills, Javed Saifullah Khan and prominent industrialists of the province.

During the meeting, US Ambassador apprised the participants that government of United States wanted to set up ROZs in different industrials areas of Pakistan for providing easy access for Pakistani goods to American markets.

In establishment of these ROZs, the United States would extend help by providing exemption to the industrialists in electricity charges and taxes, she added.

The United States, she continued, would continue all possible cooperation and assistance to Pakistan for developing its economy and came out of the commercial recession faced by the country due to current wave of militancy and military operation for curbing the menace.

The US government desires to set up Export Free Zones and ROZs in different areas of Pakistan and in this connection she is paying visits to different industrial estates, she told the participants of the meeting.

It merits a mention here that Gadoon Industrial Estate is the only industrial hub in the country where complete infrastructure required for industries is available. Recently Pehur Hydel Project has also been complete which has the capacity of generating 18 megawatt electricity. - APP

Manzoor Ahmad Yousafzai