Consul General Tariq Karim visited St. Louis (Missouri), where he attended a Mushaira organized by the Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America (APPNA) St. Louis Chapter and held interactions with members of the Pakistani-American Diaspora and business community.
In his remarks at the Mushaira, the Consul General appreciated the role of Pakistani Diaspora and organizations like APPNA in promoting Pakistani culture, Urdu language and poetry. He highlighted the importance of platforms like Mushaira, which brings people together through the universal language of poetry, while expressing admiration for the talent and efforts of the Urdu poets attending the Mushaira from across the US and Canada. The Consul General also underlined the need to promote Urdu poetry among the younger generation to connect them to their roots in Pakistan. He also attended the launching ceremony of “Zakhm Bol Parey”, a collection of Ghazal poetry of Urdu poet Dr. Salim Torania.
Speaking at a community gathering organized by the Islamic Foundation of Greater St. Louis, the Consul General highlighted his priorities which, inter alia, include: engaging the Pakistani-American community as a bridge between the two countries; outreaching local institutions and leadership to promote mutually beneficial cooperation; pursuing economic diplomacy to advance Pakistan’s economic partnership with the Midwest region, and; promoting people-to-people interactions. He lauded the Pakistani-American community for their contribution in the socio-economic development of the two countries and encouraged them to continue to play their active role in this regard. The Consul General responded to various questions related to consular services offered by the Consulate.
While in St. Louis, the Consul General also visited a prominent community business. In his interaction with the business community, the Consul General briefed them about business opportunities in Pakistan and the role of Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) in promoting investment in different fields.
Chicago, IL
September 22, 2023
