CHICAGO: Pakistan retail market is the third largest retail market in Asia and will cross $200 billion by 2020, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, the country’s consul general in Chicago, told a group of faculty students at the Loyola University.
He said Pakistan’s foreign investment policies are attractive, liberal and consistent. Tirmizi said that Pakistan’s geographical proximity with Afghanistan made the country more important for the United States.
Pakistan, he said, was on the front line in the struggle against terrorism and had made “great sacrifices” and “important contributions” in the fight. Pakistan was perhaps the only country where extremist elements were being effectively pushed back without any external help.
Tirmizi said Pakistan could share its experience in combating terrorism with all friendly countries. including the US. A specially prepared presentation about history, current state of affairs of relations with the US as well as ways to strengthen cooperation between the two countries was the main feature of Thursday’s event.
The consul general spoke about Pakistan’s contributions in the two significant achievements of the US foreign policy—the US-China rapprochement and the defeat of communism.
In conclusion, Tirmizi said more dialogue was needed in order to to remove some misgiving on both sides. Earlier, Professor Thomas Regan, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences introduced the consul general at the event.
Dr. Marcia Hermansen, Director of the Islamic World Studies Programme and Professor in the Theology Department at Loyola University Chicago thanked the Consul General for his visit to the University.
