Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, had a busy day on Capitol Hill. Continuing his outreach to key members of Congress, the Ambassador had meetings with Senator Joni Ernst (Republican-Iowa), Congresswoman Karen Bass (Democrat-California) and Congressman Chris Stewart (Republican-Utah). Senator Ernst is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, while Congresswoman Bass and Congressman Stewart sit on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and House Appropriations Committee respectively.

In his back-to-back meetings, Ambassador Chaudhry updated the members of Congress on recent developments in the context of Pakistan-U.S. relations. He briefed them on Pakistan’s perspective on the region, including the situation in Afghanistan. Noting the two countries’ common aspiration for peace and stability in South Asia, Ambassador Chaudhry said it was important for Pakistan and the United States to work together for a political settlement in Afghanistan.

Ambassador Chaudhry informed the U.S. legislators that Pakistan had successfully turned the corner in its fight against terrorism. Pakistan’s improved security environment was paying economic dividends, as evidenced by the country’s status as an emerging market. The Ambassador said greater economic cooperation between the U.S. and Pakistani corporate sectors would generate jobs and prosperity for both countries.

The members of Congress appreciated Ambassador Chaudhry’s briefing. They concurred with the Ambassador’s assessment of the need for close engagement between the United States and Pakistan in the pursuit of their common goals in the region.

November 07 , 2017
Washington D.C