Pakistan urges US to ease issuance of visas for its nationals

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<strong>Pakistan has requested the United States to ease issuance of visas for its nationals, saying it is also looking forward to frequent exchange of high-level visits between Islamabad and Washington.</strong></p>
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Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari spoke with the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday evening, urging Washington to increase people-to-people and business-to-business contacts.<br />
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"Spoke to @SecBlinken, today. We reaffirmed our mutual desire to further strengthen bilateral ties by expanding our engagement in trade, energy, health & security marking 75 years of our relationship. We must increase people-to-people & business-to-business contacts," he tweeted after the phone call.<br />
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Blinken spoke on expanding the US-Pakistan partnership on economic stability and the joint efforts to support the Afghan people.<br />
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"The Secretary and the Foreign Minister also discussed coordination to mitigate the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, regional stability, commercial and people-to-people ties, and the devastating effects of Putin’s unprovoked war on Ukraine on food security in Pakistan and worldwide," said US State Department spokesperson Ned Price in a statement.<br />
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Last week, during a multi-city trip to Pakistan,  the US Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs Dilawar Syed had spoken on exploring concrete ways to build a bilateral relationship which benefits both countries.<br />
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"The United States continues to encourage Pakistan to improve the business climate to make it easier for US businesses to invest, operate, and create jobs. US companies can introduce new technologies and generate returns that translate into higher incomes for local workers and capital for additional investments,” he noted.</p>
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