WASHINGTON: The Georgia State Assembly conferred Honorary Citizenship on Masood Khan, Pakistani Ambassador to the United States, on Tuesday, recognizing the increasing US-Pak ties, according to a Pakistani embassy press release.
The Ambassador’s visit to Atlanta was organized by State Representative Farooq Mughal, who had piloted a resolution in the Assembly in March this year for the establishment of State-Province relations between Georgia and Pakistan’s Sindh province. When Ambassador Masood Khan arrived at the Georgia State Assembly, he was greeted by representatives from each side.
Pakistani Representative Highlights Trade Connections with Georgia
Representative Farooq Mughal spoke on the occasion, highlighting the strengthening trade connections between Pakistan and Georgia, including a $200 million investment in the economic field. Senator James Beverly said that they were looking forward to developing a strong relationship with Pakistan not just for the now but also for the future. Clay Pirkle, a state representative, described Pakistan as a “valuable partner.” He said there was a significant opportunity to strengthen bilateral ties in a variety of fields, including agriculture.
Masood Khan thanked Representative Farooq Mughal and his colleagues for the warm welcome he received at the State Assembly. He said the presence and dedicated engagement of Pakistani-origin Representatives Farooq Mughal and Saira Draper was a source of immense pride for Pakistan and the Pakistani diaspora in the United States.
Masood Khan said that the manufacturing, automobile, and agriculture sectors provided a good foundation for the two sides to establish strong trade connections and partnerships. He said their colleges and research institutes can work to increase productivity and maintain food security because of their strong agricultural basis and increased focus on research, particularly hybrid seeds, climate and weather resistance crops, and others.
The Ambassador described Georgia-Sindh Sister-Province Relations as a watershed moment, emphasizing the importance of using all available chances to achieve meaningful results. The Ambassador emphasized the necessity of bringing the two peoples closer together, saying that both sides must continue to invest in people-centered diplomacy.
Reiterating his demand for collaboration between universities on both sides, Ambassador Khan said Pakistan was eager to absorb Georgia’s rich cultural heritage in the areas of new technologies such as AI, robotics, the Internet of Things, and others.
