LAHORE, Nov 7 (DNA) : Founder Chairman Pak US Business Council and veteran trade leader Iftikhar Ali Malik Sunday vehemently urged the world community to remove artificial barriers like FATF’s grey listing, a politically prompted move and simultaneously called for building the Pak US bilateral relationship around economic security.
It was stated while talking to a delegation of think tank led by Waqas Anjum which called on him here today.He said in view of the changing geo strategic environment in the region,there are ample opportunities for Pakistan policy makers to proactively seek and establish a comprehensive and resilient bilateral relationship with US and revival of ministerial strategic dialogue.
He said this paradigm shift in ties,he believed,could be achieved through co-investment and cooperation in connectivity projects.He said there are lot of positives to pick up and work with and move forward.He noted that Pakistan and the US can cooperate and assist each other on regional peace,climate change,covid-19 and pandemics.
However,Iftikhar Ali Malik categorically cautioned against looking at Pakistan through a third country lens and keeping India at the centre of all conversions.While talking about trade and investment,he said that Pakistan expects international community to do with unrealistic and politically manoeuvred FATF’ grey listing.He said “it is increasingly in the interest of both countries to reestablish a closer bilateral relationship,transitioning from geopolitics to geo-economics” he added.
Summing up he said “ there is lot of room where the convergence of ideas can be built upon to develop this bilateral relationship,which has been so turbulent and fraught with tensions at time,more robust,more sustainable,more resilient and less transactional.
