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The Pakistan's Ambassador to United States, Jehangir Karamat, has said that President Musharraf's government is determined to make human resource development its number one priority since the most important asset of a nation is its people. He observed this in his address to the business community in Los Angeles. On the other hand, he said the Government of Pakistan has strengthened the rights of minorities and greatly empowered women.
The number of women elected to offices is over 40,000 from the national and provincial parliaments to local councils, he added. He also said that democracy has been restored in Pakistan.
He said the 2007 elections are the next watershed and will consolidate upon the sustainable democracy that the government has built over the last five years.
He said the President's vision of Enlightened Moderation would build a modern, progressive society which would serve as a model for other Muslim countries is an important feature of the government's overall plans.
Karamat said the Pakistan Government is implementing a comprehensive programme to reform and modernise the education system and streamline the Madressahs. The focus is on providing the growing population with a skill-based education.
"Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz's government is committed to continuing the foreign and economic policies of President Musharraf."
About Pakistan-US relations, he said throughout the bilateral history, the Congress and every Administration has always considered that a stable, democratic and economically thriving Pakistan was key to US interests in South, Central and West Asia. "This remains a central policy plan today, in fact even more so in the post-9/11 world that we all now live in."
Karamat said: "Whilst we need to look back as to how our bilateral relationship evolved it is equally important to look forward to perceiving where we are going and what needs to be done. We are confident that we will continue to make strides forward in our bilateral relationship across the board in political terms, but also in the key economic and defence areas too."
On bilateral exchanges, he said as the relationship has grown, there has been a corresponding increase in high level bilateral exchanges.
He said President Musharraf visited New York in September 2004 and Washington in December 2004 to meet President Bush.
"High-level exchanges have also taken place from all government departments - State, Defence, Trade, Education, etc."
During last year, he said over 40 US legislators visited Pakistan, and important Congressional delegations continue to visit the country.
He told the gathering that the visiting US legislators underlined their appreciation for Pakistan's support to restore peace and stability in Afghanistan.
"They welcomed Islamabad's critical role in the war on terrorism; and reiterated Congress' commitment to a long-term engagement with Pakistan with a view to deepening bilateral relations, particularly in the area of commerce, trade and investment", he added.
Karamat said Pakistan welcomes such Congressional delegations since we feel it is extremely important for the US and the world to have first hand experience in order to truly understand both the challenges that Pakistan faces and the tough but pragmatic decisions that the government has made and will continue to make.
The Pak envoy said Pakistan urges US interest in human resource development and therefore, welcomes the reformation of education, and the social sector links. These should never have been severed.
The return of USAID to Pakistan, he stated, 'is an important milestone.'

Copyright Associated Press of Pakistan, 2005

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