Several key personalities from Pakistan and the US, including Ambassador to Washington Masood Khan, and members of the Congress attended an event organised by the Association of Pakistani Descent Physicians of North America (APPNA) in Dallas, Texas, on Saturday.
The event was part of APPNA 46th Annual Summer Convention 2023 attended by a large number of people from different walks of life. APPNA is an influential body that represents more than 15,000 physicians of Pakistani descent serving across the US and Canada.
Meanwhile, a group of Pakistani doctors organised a separate event at a hotel near the venue of the main APPNA event where Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan spoke about the situation in the country.
A large number of doctors and their families were present at the event, which the former prime minister addressed via telephone.
Separately, a well-known businessman and Republican leader in the US, Javed Anwar, was a special guest at an event organised by "US Ship" in the same city.
While addressing the ceremony, Anwar said that Pakistani doctors residing in America were part of the country's elite class. He emphasised that everyone had an individual responsibility to facilitate the progress of Pakistan and its younger generation.
He stressed that when the youth prosper, the country progresses.
Anwar congratulated US Ship founder Dr Rao Kamran Ali and his team for realising this need and establishing the organisation. He said that no one could hinder progress if there was courage and enthusiasm.
Ambassador Khan, while addressing the event, expressed his deep gratitude to the US State Department for taking special measures to expedite visa processing for Pakistani students.
He acknowledged that although the number of Pakistani students coming to the US for higher education was much lower compared to other countries, however, he hoped that with the efforts of the State Department and organisations like "US Ship", the number would double in the coming years.
Meanwhile, a member of the Pakistan Desk at the US State Department, Neil Line, stated that the US firmly believed in promoting education without discrimination worldwide.
He said that millions of non-American students had obtained education from thousands of colleges and universities in the US and contributed to the progress of their respective countries, in the past few years.
He said that around 8,000 Pakistanis had come to the US and obtained higher education, even though this number was relatively small for Pakistan.
Line added that this step had brought Pakistan to the 18th position globally. He also highlighted that there was staff available in the US to guide aspiring students and provide them with financial assistance, starting from taking admission to obtaining financial aid.
Furthermore, on the occasion, US Ship founder Ali shed light on the objectives and purposes of the body and said that education was the only effective way to bring about significant changes in the progress of Pakistan.
If better opportunities were available, our youth would be second to none, he added.
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