WASHINGTON: An agreement to declare Punjab and California as sister states was signed at the California State Capitol in Sacramento city aimed at bolstering a mutually beneficial relationship.
Anthony Rendon, the speaker of the legislature, signed the agreement on behalf of the state, while Wasif Khurshid, chairman of the Planning and Development Board, signed for the Punjab government.
Pakistan’s ambassador to the US, Masood Khan, witnessed the ceremony.
Attending the signing ceremony were former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, Lieutenant Governor of California Eleni Kounalakis, Rendon, and a large number of Pakistani-American community members.
Ambassador Khan and the visiting Pakistan delegation were received at the assembly and the delegation was recognised and greeted on the floor of the house, according to a press statement issued by the Pakistan embassy.
The agreement would promote mutual trade and commerce and increase the potential for educational, environmental, and cultural relations, the envoy said, adding it would also provide an opportunity to exploit the untapped economic potential and promote people-to-people contacts.
California, which is among the top four economies of the world, and the vibrant middle class of Punjab, would create the required synergies for nurturing a mutually beneficial relationship and a win-win partnership, Khan said.
Earlier, the delegation visited the University of California, Davis, a leading agricultural and veterinary research university and met Chancellor Gary May. The two sides discussed ways to strengthen the collaboration between UC Davis and the University of Agriculture (UAF) in Faisalabad, and agreed to further build on the partnership, according to the press statement.
They also discussed ways and means to promote collaboration in the export of mangoes and dates from Pakistan. UC Davis’ support for hybrid seeds of wheat, cotton and rice also came under discussion.
Cooperation on climate-smart agriculture was also discussed during the meeting, it said.
The delegation also attended a reception hosted by Dr Asif Mahmood, a prominent Pakistan-American politician, at his residence.
It was attended, among others, by Congresswoman Judy May Chu, Holden, former labour secretary Hilda Solis, representatives from the assembly and a large number of Pak-American community leaders, educationists and social entrepreneurs.
Welcoming the Pakistani delegation to California, Chu highlighted similarities between California and Punjab including strong agricultural bases and vibrant populations of the two sides.
“This will be the start of a wonderful partnership between California and Punjab as we have so many commonalities to build upon,” she said.
Ambassador Khan thanked Mahmood for the welcome and for working to project a soft image of Pakistan in California.
Highlighting the strengths of the bilateral relationship, Ambassador Khan said the historic relation was characterised by “longevity and resilience”.
“From the pre- and post-Cold War periods, we have brought this legacy of cooperation to the era of the new technological age, which is constantly transforming regional and global landscapes,” he added.
“The spirit of solidarity between our two nations continues,” said the envoy.
Khan highlighted the critical role of the Pakistani diaspora in cementing mutual bonds of friendship and serving as a bridge between the two countries as well as Punjab and California.
“More than 200,000 Pakistan-Americans in California and the West Coast are acting as a catalyst in our relationship.”
The ambassador highlighted the recent spurt in bilateral trade volume, saying that a huge potential existed, especially in the technology and cyber sectors, to enhance bilateral trade volume.
Khan expressed the hope that a strong partnership between California and Punjab would be instrumental in tapping the existing potential for the mutual benefit of the people.
