Blome emphasises importance of Pak-US partnership

Islamabad:US Ambassador Donald Blome has highlighted the shared values and ideals of the US and Pakistan, especially the pursuit of independence, and equality.

During a celebration at the US Embassy here to mark the 248th anniversary of American independence, Mr Blome acknowledged the challenges faced by both nations but emphasised the importance of their partnership and cooperation. “It has become commonplace to observe that the United States and Pakistan have sometimes struggled to understand each other, but that observation can obscure the long history of partnership and cooperation between our two countries. While at times we have had to tackle great challenges – such as floods, war, a pandemic and economic setbacks – those of us who have worked together to strengthen this relationship have always recognised that the partnership is, and has always been, part of a longer journey toward increased prosperity and security for our two nations, and that each step on this journey is important,” he said.

The ambassador said American businesses had played a leading role in Pakistan since independence, and not as foreign entities implanted on Pakistani soil. He said the US firms overwhelmingly employed Pakistanis from top to bottom, training them to the highest technical and management levels, and those employees went in turn to found and run their own global firms. "They [Pakistani employees of US firms] bring American values of openness, transparency, and community citizenship to the private sector here and they provide hundreds of thousands of jobs, and critical research and development assets."

Mr Blome said his country provided assistance for infrastructure projects like Mangla, Tarbela, Gomal Zam, Satpara, and Golen Gol dams to provide clean, affordable energy to millions of homes, prevent water shortages, and mitigate the damaging effects of flooding. "Today, we are upgrading Mangla and Tarbela with new GE turbines. The originals lasted for 50 years, and the new versions will last another 50 years – a 100 year investment in Pakistan funded directly, not through loans. That's what we mean by commitment," he said. The ambassador said Pakistanis were benefiting tremendously from our trade relationship, supplying billions of dollars’ worth of exports to the US market annually.

He said the US was proud to be Pakistan's largest export market globally. "We are also proud of the US-Pakistan Green Alliance, a transformative initiative committed to support Pakistan as it strengthens climate resilience, pursues energy transformation, and fosters inclusive growth. "We have contributed $1 billion to the Green Climate Fund and have unlocked millions of these dollars in climate mitigation and adaptation projects to enhance Pakistan’s resilience to climate change. This summer, we will launch a new climate-smart agriculture programme to help farming families adapt to the climate challenge and prepare the agriculture sector for a new era of sustainability," he said.

Mr Blome said his country was a steadfast supporter of Pakistan’s healthcare system. He said in May 2024, the US and Sindh government launched a groundbreaking initiative with an investment of $9 million, aimed at addressing tuberculosis. "We provide more than $85 million in funding to address malnutrition in Pakistan, including $12 million to treat acutely malnourished children," he said, adding that in education, the US programmes have constructed hundreds of new schools and rehabilitated thousands more.

The ambassador said the American Mission sent more than 500 Pakistanis to the United States every year on educational, professional, and cultural exchanges. He added that the mission also supported the exchange of US and Pakistani artists, musicians, and experts on topics such as climate change and entrepreneurship. "We have continued our commitment to the preservation of Pakistan’s rich cultural heritage, supporting 35 cultural preservation projects over the past 20 years. Through the Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation and other grants, the United States has supported the conservation of Gandhara archaeological treasures, Mughal architectural heritage such as the Wazir Khan Mosque, the restoration of Sufi shrines and Hindu monuments such as Hazrat Shah Shams Tabraiz and Varun Dev, and supported the preservation of Buddhist monasteries such as Takht-i-Bahi," he said.

Mr Blome stressed the "strength and durability" of the US-Pakistan partnership. "As we [US and Pakistan] celebrate Independence Day, we also celebrate the steps we have taken together. As I said earlier, Humaray safer ka her eik qadam ahimiet rakhta hay [each step of the journey is important]," he said.