- Government investing in women’s entrepreneurship to ensure inclusivity: Masood Khan
- Urges Pak business leaders to launch ‘Select Pakistan’ initiative for enhanced investments
A group of 19 business leaders and entrepreneurs from Pakistan have attended ‘Select USA Investment Summit’ held in Washington D.C. The Select USA Summit is the highest profile event in the United States aimed at providing business leaders, from across the globe, a unique opportunity to explore investment opportunities, expand their businesses and forge robust networks. This year the event was attended by over four thousand delegates from different parts of the world.
The largest ever Pakistani delegation attending this year’s summit represented a range of businesses including clean energy, telecommunications, IT, security, chemicals, packages, fabrics, constructions, agriculture, manufacturing, food & restaurants, pigments, logistics, education, rubber industry, automobiles and others.
Ambassador Masood Khan hosted Pakistani delegation and Select USA leadership including Ms. Aileen Crowe Nandi, Executive Director for Asia at the US Department of Commerce, Mr. Nathan Seifert, SCO Foreign Commercial Services.
In his welcome remarks, Ambassador Masood Khan appreciated the contributions of Pak-American community who were investing in Pakistan and were playing a critical role towards building bridges and connecting the people of the two countries.
Masood Khan highlighted that the United States was the largest trade partner and export destination for Pakistani products. Noting increasing trajectory of Pak exports to the United States, especially in IT and services sector, the Ambassador also pointed out that 80 US enterprises were undertaking profitable business venture in Pakistan, employing 150,000 person and providing livelihood to nearly one million household. He said that a number of US companies had front and back offices in Pakistan and were keen to expand their businesses in oil and gas, renewable and green energy, agriculture and manufacturing sectors.
The Ambassador expressed the hope that Pak entrepreneurs attending the Select USA Summit would also take an initiative to launch ‘Select Pakistan’ for enhanced investments in the country.
Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Aileen Crowe Nandi thanked the delegation for their participation in the Summit terming it as the largest ever delegation attending the summit. She said that the US administration was committed to provide a conducive environment to the business community. Acknowledging huge potential of Pakistani female entrepreneurs, she expressed the hope that Pak businesswomen and entrepreneurs would also visit the United States to explore business opportunities and expand their networks.
Masood Khan said that Pakistan was emerging as a huge regional business ecosystem acting as a hub for Central & West Asia, Turkey, Middle East and North Africa and therefore should be an attractive destination for investment and business activities.
“To make Pakistan’s economy and businesses inclusive, the government was investing in women’s entrepreneurship,” he added.
Washington D.C, May 4, 2023
