“The Lincoln Corner represents a strong and growing partnership between the people of the United States and Pakistan,” US Ambassador to Pakistan Richard G Olson said on Tuesday. He was addressing a small gathering at the Government College University Faisalabad (GCUF), where he inaugurated the Lincoln Corner.
Olson said that the Lincoln Corner would serve as an information centre with materials about the US, reference books, periodicals, media and internet.
“I hope that the resources here will create opportunities for an open dialogue between our cultures and build bridges of mutual understanding.”
During his first visit to Faisalabad, the ambassador met several officials, including District Coordination Officer Noorul Amin Mengal. Olson, in these meetings, discussed options and opportunities for US and Pakistan to work together to enhance educational exchange, entrepreneurship and advanced research.
He also later inaugurated the city’s first Hardee’s restaurant franchise. Encouraging entrepreneurship and foreign investment, he said this would create employment in Pakistan.
District Coordination Officer Mengal said that a number of steps were being taken to make Faisalabad an international standard city.
He said the Traffic Engineering Transport Planning Agency had been established to design infrastructure in the city. The Faisalabad Parking Company, he said, was also being set up besides several parking plazas on the pages.
He said the district government was equally concerned about development of rural areas.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 22nd, 2014.