Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Masood Khan, has urged leading Pakistani-American entrepreneurs, executives and business leaders to invest in their motherland to advance the goals of its economic development. The ambassador also urged them to rise above their differences and focus on strengthening Pakistan economically. “Vital interest of Pakistan should be protected at all costs,” he told ‘OPEN Global Retreat 2024’, a platform for the Pakistani diaspora to connect, collaborate, and explore opportunities to contribute to their homeland’s progress while strengthening ties between Pakistan and the United States. The event was held in New York City from June 7 to 9. “Do not believe in doom and gloom stories; have faith in your motherland. There is bright light ahead. Invest in Pakistan,” he said, urging the diaspora to reject cynics and embrace the country’s potential. Speaking on the occasion, Abu Bakar, OPEN Global President and a business leader, briefed on OPEN’s progress under his presidency, and outlined its future programmes. OPEN’s New York President, Tariq Khan, and OPEN’s Chicago President, Amir Chalisa, are also spoke. Founded in 1998 in Boston, OPEN Global has grown into a global movement, with 17 chapters across four continents spanning across major cities worldwide, including Boston, New York, Silicon Valley, Washington D.C., Houston, Dallas, Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, London, and Toronto. The ambassador paid tributes to OPEN’s leadership for fostering a vibrant community of professionals., saying, “OPEN has become a brand.” “If OPEN has faith in Pakistan, everyone have faith in Pakistan, ” he added. Emphasizing the pivotal role of Pakistani-Americans as a “connective tissue” between Pakistan and the United States, Masood Khan said, “If all other linkages fail, Pakistani-Americans will hold this relationship together.” Pakistan-US relations, he said, had navigated through difficulties. “Now is a good time and opportunity to build economic partnership,” the Pakistani envoy said, adding both countries had proved naysayers wrong who claimed there was no future for the bilateral relationship after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. He said priority sectors for investment were: IT, energy (green and renewable), agriculture (corporate farming), and the extractive industry, In that regard, the ambassador also outlined the government’s agenda of reforms, regulatory improvements, and efforts to enhance the ease of doing business. Other speakers were: Dilawar Syed, Deputy Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA), Sabir Sami, Global CEO of KFC, and Shakir Moin, President of MarkePng, Coca-Cola North America shared their insights. Entrepreneurs like Jabran Niaz (CEO, Utopia Deals), Naveed Sherwani (Chairman, President & CEO, RapidSilicon), Tariq Farid (Founder & CEO, Edible), Najeeb Ghauri (Founder & CEO, NETSOL Technologies Inc.), Akif Tarique (Global Head of Insurance Practice, Visionet Systems Inc.), Tahir Javed (CEO & President, Riceland Healthcare), Hassan Ahmed (CEO, Co-Founder & Chairman, Sway AI), Farrukh Usman (Founder & CEO, Byonyks Medical Devices, Inc), and Umber Ahmed (Founder & CEO, Mah-Ze-Dahr Bakery) shared their success stories. A number of speakers shared their experiences of conducting business ventures in Pakistan, saying they were optimistic about the country’s future prospects, with its human resources, technological advancements, energy sector, manufacturing capabilities, mineral wealth, and agricultural prowess, among other domains. The speakers urged successful entrepreneurs to give back to their beloved motherland and fellow compatriots, emphasizing the importance of reinvesting in the nation’s growth and development.