Ambassador calls on leaders of the region and pays tribute to victims of terrorism
PESHAWAR (Pakistan) – In his first trip to Peshawar, American Ambassador to Pakistan David Hale held a meeting with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s provincial leadership and paid his respects to victims of terrorism in the province, including students and teachers at the Army Public School.
Ambassador Hale called on Governor Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan and Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak to discuss political, economic, and security issues in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). During these meetings, Ambassador Hale commended the province’s actions against militancy and reiterated American resolve to help increase stability in the region through cooperation on trade Ambassador Hale expressed his appreciation for the warm hospitality of the region and his desire for a strong and productive relationship with the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the FATA and their leaders.
“In recent years, the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the FATA have shown remarkable resilience in the face of terrible violence and unimaginable loss,” Ambassador Hale said. “The United States recognizes the many sacrifices Pakistan and its citizens have made in this struggle. America stands with Pakistan in its fight against terrorism and remains committed to promoting a secure, stable, and prosperous Pakistan.”
The Ambassador visited the Army Public School to pay his respects in advance of the one-year anniversary of the attack on the school on December 16, 2014, in honor of the memory of the students and teachers killed there. During his visit, Ambassador Hale met with ten APS students who travelled to the United States this past summer on a State Department-funded trip focused on science, technology, engineering, and math education and cross-cultural exchange with American students.