Miftah for removing misperception to promote Pak-US relations

ISLAMABAD: Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance, Dr Miftah Ismail Monday said relations between Pakistan and United States (US) had been affected by certain recent developments, urging the need to remove misperceptions between the two countries.

He was talking to US Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Ambassador Alice G Wells who called on him here, a Finance Ministry’s statement said.

Miftah Ismail welcomed Wells and said such bilateral visits were helpful in understanding each other's point of view. They discussed current state of Pak-US ties with particular emphasis on economic cooperation.

Miftah also welcomed the planned visits of US business delegations and said people to people contacts were an important part of a bilateral relationship.

He expressed his support for business community's efforts aimed at furthering Pak-US economic ties.

He said Pakistan had made visible headway in overcoming energy shortages which had given a boost to the country’s productive sectors.

This in turn was having a positive impact on overall economic activities and the GDP was growing steadily, he added.

On the occasion, Alice G Wells felicitated Miftah Ismail on assuming his new responsibilities and wished him well in his tenure.

She said Pak-US relationship was important and the US would like to carry it forward.

She lauded the reforms that Pakistan had undertaken in different economic spheres and expressed US support for similar reform efforts in future.

US Ambassador David Hale, Secretary Finance Arif Ahmed Khan and other senior officials of the Ministry of Finance were present on the occasion.