ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Masood Khan has said Pakistan and the United States are long-standing and historic partners. He was talking to President and Chief Executive Officer of World Affairs Council of America (WACA) Matthew Hughes at the Embassy in Washington on Saturday. He said the current positive trajectory in the bilateral relations is based on strong desire on both sides to expand the bandwidth of this relationship, with special focus on enhanced cooperation in non-security areas, says a press release received here on Saturday from Washington DC.

The Ambassador appreciated the role played by WACA and its leadership for promoting programs and educational initiatives for diverse, multi-generational audiences across United States from grassroots to grass tops citizens. He briefed Hughes about current state of Pakistan-United States bilateral relations. He congratulated Hughes on assuming presidency of the WACA, and appreciated the role played by WACA and its leadership for promoting programs and educational initiatives for diverse, multi-generational audiences across United States from grassroots to grass tops citizens.

The Ambassador lauded WACA’s convening power by providing face-to-face connections and dialogue with global leaders, business executives, policy experts, social innovators, and distinguished opinion makers. Hughes briefed the Ambassador about WACA’s mission and its leading programmes. He shared that WACA supports more than 90 World Affairs Councils across the United States and explores new ideas in dozens of dynamic Council events each week that shape public discourse on national security, the economy and international trade, global health, energy and the environment, immigration, human rights, education and culture.

The envoy underscored the importance of linkages between academics, educational institutions and diaspora to forge solid foundation for long-lasting relations, highlighting huge potential for WACA’s collaboration and intertwining with similar platforms in Pakistan. President WACA appreciated Ambassador’s remarks and expressed willingness to expand collaboration with counterparts in Pakistan. He also extended invitation to the Ambassador for participation in WACA’s national conference in November this year. The World Affairs Councils of America, founded in 1918, is the largest nonprofit international affairs organization in the United States. The WACA network comprises of 93 autonomous and nonpartisan councils across 40 states in US.