ISLAMABAD: US Ambassador Donald Blome visited Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on August 3 and 4 to highlight the US government’s extensive economic and development assistance, which has benefited the residents of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over the past 75 years of bilateral relations.
During his trip, Ambassador Blome called upon Chief Minister Mahmood Khan and emphasised that the United States wishes to continue cooperation on economic development, commerce, educational partnerships and investment that have helped the region and its people, said a press release issued by US Embassy here on Friday.
Ambassador Blome visited the Torkham border crossing to see first-hand how the border contributes to trade and economic activities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
This included viewing the 46-kilometer Peshawar-Torkham Road, an $87 million US government construction project which has reduced the cost of travel and vehicle maintenance by half while facilitating commuters and traders each day.
While in KP, Ambassador Blome and USAID Mission Director Reed Aeschliman also handed over 36 vehicles to the Department of Health Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as part of US government support for Pakistan to mitigate the Covid-19 pandemic and help rapid response teams collect Covid-19 samples and monitor cases.
This donation comes on the heels of a recent announcement in Washington to donate 16 million paediatric Covid-19 vaccination doses to Pakistan, which will bring total US donations to over 77 million.
Ambassador Blome also visited the US government-funded Burns and Plastic Surgery Centre in Peshawar.
The cutting-edge health facility was constructed and equipped through $15 million in USAID funding.
The Centre is the largest of its kind in Pakistan and has treated more than 5,000 patients since it opened in 2019, it added.
While touring the state-of-the-art US-Pakistan Centre for Advanced Studies in Energy at the University of Engineering and Technology in Peshawar, Ambassador Blome stated: “It is an honour to be here today to see the Centre and learn more about the great work that you are doing here. As the United States and Pakistan commemorate our 75-year relationship this year, this facility symbolises our shared vision and our enormous accomplishments.”
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022