LAHORE: Speakers at a seminar on "New American Administration and Pakistan's Strategy" emphasized that Pakistan needs not fear change of leadership in USA and there are many opportunities for cooperation to fight terrorism and bring peace in Afghanistan.

The seminar was arranged by PINA and addressed by Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Planning & Reforms and former Law Minister S.M. Zafar, Prof. Farooq Hasnat, Prof. Shabbir Ahmad Khan, former ambassador Javaid Hussain, Altaf Hasan Qureshee Secretary General PINA and Muhammad Mehdi.

"Ten thousand Pakistani youth will be sent to American universities for higher education", this was announced by Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal loudly in Lahore at a seminar held under the auspices of Pakistan Institute of National Affairs (PINA).

While presiding over the seminar, Ahsan Iqbal made a comprehensive analysis of Pak-US relationship in the background of the outcome of the recent US Presidential Election. Referring to US President Trump's unconventional victory, Ahsan said that Pak-US relationship has survived three divorce situations. He said there is sea of change between 20th century and 21st century, and in parallel thereto Pakistan too is undergoing paradigm shift from geopolitical to geo-economics importance.

Suggesting we should not waste time in ideological discussion, he urged to grasp ground realities of the current century which can give success on acting upon three formulae: First to accelerate the growth of wealth, Second to effect equitable distribution of wealth without ignoring regions or classes and Third to complete for productivity.

Altaf Hasan Qureshee, Secretary General PINA recalled that it was USA that attended our first anniversary of independence with great enthusiasm. US gave unparallel reception to Pakistan's first Prime Minister's visit to that country. Qureshee said that a number of democratic ideas in US Constitution, such as basic rights and human rights have their genesis in the Quran.

Veteran Jurist S.M. Zafar said that foreign policy of a country depends on the interest of that country. If the interests of two countries converge, the foreign policy between the two takes positive shape. With the new President in USA, we should see how far the interests of our own country fall in line with the US and wait for the process of history to take its course and effect changes if any in the binary relations. He advised we should not accelerated the pace of differences unnecessarily between the two countries.

Oman-based investor Javed Nawaz said that Trump has given a clarion call to arouse hitherto sleeping Muslims. He alluded to the moral dichotomy in us that we belittle USA on one hand and on the other go for McDonald burgers. He advised that we should strengthen the country by strengthening ourselves and shunning attitude of hatred.-PR