St. Louis, 1 July 2022 (TDI): Consul General Tariq Karim of Pakistan’s Consulate in Chicago visited St. Louis (MO) for discussing the socio-economic development of Pakistani-Americans. On his visit, he interacted with the members of the Pakistani-American diaspora as well as the business community.

During the visit, Consul General Karim spoke at various events and outlined his priorities for expanding cooperation between Pakistan and American Midwest region. Along with that, he also lauded the community’s efforts in the socio-economic development of Pakistan and the US.

Pakistani-American Community of St. Louis

The South Asian community has boomed in the Midwest region, especially in the cities like St. Louis, in recent years. According to Dr. Ghazala Hayat, executive director of the Pakistani-American Association of St. Louis, the membership of their group has doubled in the past decade.

The Pakistan-Americans of this community belong to qualified doctors, surgeons, as well as engineers. In recent years, this diaspora has expanded its expertise in the fields of business and technology.

The efforts of all these people have contributed to the socio-economic development and cooperation of Pakistan and the US.

Socio-Economic Development of Pakistan and the US

According to IMF estimations, Pakistan is the 42nd largest economy in the world and the fifth-largest country in terms of people, as of 2020. Pakistan’s top export destination is the United States. Along with that, the United States has also been one of Pakistan’s top investors, for over the past 20 years.

These investments range from fields of consumer goods, chemicals, energy, agriculture, and business process outsourcing to transport and communications.

The Pakistani-American community plays a significant role by providing their expertise in all the respective fields. Similarly, the opportunities given to the Pakistan-American community in the form of scholarships and fellowship initiatives contribute to socio-economic development.

To conclude, such efforts lead to the prosperity of the communities as well as the development of bilateral relations of the states.