NUST organises seminar to highlight strong Pak, US ties

Islamabad: The NUST Institute of Policy Studies (NIPS) organised a keynote address on ‘Pak-US Relations’ by Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States. Rector NUST Dr Muhammad Zahid Latif, greeted the honourable guest upon arrival, and briefly apprised him about the university’s multidimensional knowledge capabilities.

Moderated by Dr Ashfaque Hasan Khan, DG NIPS, the session was attended by statesmen, former senior civil and military officials, veteran ambassadors, public officials, academics, think tank experts, scholars, researchers, and students. There was an expert consensus during the session that pragmatic cooperation and mutual respect are key to unlocking long-term opportunities for bilateral ties.

The participants highlighted the enduring and dynamic relationship between the two states and pointed out its strong future potential. The discussions underscored the continuing relevance of Pak-US partnership for regional peace, stability and security.

The deliberative exchange emphasised the importance of adopting a forward-looking and merit-based approach to further strengthening the bilateral relations. There was a clarion call during the discussion for increased academic, think tank, S&T, and innovation-based collaborations between Pakistani and American knowledge-based institutions. By leveraging knowledge diplomacy, both countries can deepen common understanding and address pressing global and regional challenges effectively.

The attendees also stressed the significance of increased Pak-US business-to-business exchanges and enhanced trade linkages. It was agreed unanimously that greater cooperation in the sectors of agriculture, higher education, advanced ICTs, renewable energy, healthcare, and minerals would be mutually advantageous.

The discussants considered that the bilateral dialogue on regional security and stability was a good thing. The session concluded while stressing the importance of fostering greater bilateral engagement for regional and global growth development, and prosperity.