Independance Day Message from Ambassador Qazi:

Dear community members,

Please accept my warmest felicitations on Pakistan.s 56th Independence Day. Pakistan was the successful culmination of an arduous struggle by the Muslims of South Asia under the inspiring and dynamic leadership of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

By the grace of Almighty Allah, 56 years after its creation, the people of Pakistan have reasons to be proud of the state.s achievements. All those prophets of gloom and doom who had predicted catastrophic scenarios for Pakistan in the eighties and the nineties stand discredited. Pakistan, today, is a rejuvenated and resurgent state which is well on its way towards redeeming its place in the comity of nations as a modern democratic policy and a flag bearer of enlightened and moderate Islam.

Pakistan today is enjoying the most stable phase of macroeconomic stability in recent years. Our foreign exchange reserves have crossed the $11 billion mark and we have re-embarked on the path of sustainable economic growth by registering a growth rate of more than 5 per cent after the setbacks of previous years. Our exports, which had stagnated in the nineties, have crossed the $11 billion mark for the first time this year. Pakistan has been able to considerably reduce its debilitating external debt by successfully negotiating write offs and rescheduling bilaterally as well as multilaterally. Our budget deficit has been reduced to 4.5 per cent. Many mega development projects have been undertaken to stimulate development and public welfare, like the Gawadar Port, the Indus Coastal Highway and several energy generation projects.

Foreign direct investment is almost $ 1 billion and remittances from our nationals abroad have crossed the 4 billion dollar mark. The government has now embarked upon the critical phase of translating macroeconomic strength into quick poverty relief for the common Pakistani.

Contrary to the doom pundits, recently revived democratic institutions are now becoming well entrenched. Representative governments are now thriving in the center as well as the four provinces. Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali and his team have given representative and popular strength to the reform process set forth by President Pervez Musharraf. Short sighted policy u-turns have been avoided in the supreme national interest. Parliamentary strength has been augmented, women have an all time high representation in elected bodies, a strong local bodies structure is finding roots and the political debate in the country in general is issue oriented and positive as compared to the past.

Pakistan.s external relations have never been better. The recent visit by the President has laid the foundation of a long-term relationship with the United States with an economic and institutional underpinning. Our time tested and exemplary ties with China are being further enhanced by adding a long-term economic component to the relationship. The President.s recent visit to EU countries like UK, Germany and France has further strengthened our close and cooperative relations with Europe.

Pakistan has successfully withstood India.s coercive diplomacy and has emerged vindicated that dialogue is the only way to resolve Pakistan-India disputes, especially the Kashmir issue. There has been considerable thawing in relations; parliamentary and business delegations have been exchanged, transport links have been revived and hopefully official dialogue would be resumed soon. Both sides need to find a win-win solution to all their problems and a solution to Kashmir is central to long term stability in the subcontinent.

Due to the untiring efforts of our scientists and armed forces, Pakistan is fully capable of protecting its territorial integrity. Our nuclear deterrence capability is firmly in place with foolproof command and control structures. Our conventional forces maintain a high standard of defense preparedness to defend the motherland.

Please do not be misled by the sophisticated propaganda war highlighting Pakistan.s vulnerabilities. It has been undertaken by our adversaries to mask our recent economic, political and diplomatic achievements. The Pakistani community in the United States can be justifiably proud of the achievements of Pakistan today. Pakistan is today the model of a progressive, moderate, democratic, economically resurgent Islamic state. Let us pray that Allah give us more strength and endow us with more progress and prosperity so that Jinnah.s dream is materialized.

Pakistan Paindabad.

(Ashraf Jehangir Qazi)
Ambassador