US Ambassador to Pakistan, Anne W. Patterson on Wednesday announced United States financial support of Rs 1 billion ($12 million) for the affectees of the Boulton Market carnage.
Talking to media at the ABC Secretariat, she said the amount of Rs 1 billion will be given to the American Business Council (ABC) against its initiative for the support of affected small businessmen.
She said the losses at Boulton Market went beyond damage to property and businesses. “So the ABC has proposed that we also work on a program to help the victims of the violence and families left without wage earners,” she added.
Anne W. Patterson said the violence and destruction that took place in the days after the attack on Ashura multiplied that tragedy many times as the businesses and livelihoods and savings of so many people were destroyed.
Some of these small businesses will have difficulty obtaining access to credit in the amounts that they require to start anew, she added.
The US Ambassador said It is now clear that the Taliban seek to destroy Pakistan’s democracy and that they will exploit any fissure in Pakistan to attain their goals.
Anne W. Patterson said it is abundantly clear that the business leaders of Pakistan cannot remain on the sidelines during the important work that needs to be done this year to strengthen Pakistan.
“In this new democratic framework, Pakistan’s business leaders need to roll up their sleeves and pitch in,” she added.
She said “It’s always a pleasure to be back in Karachi today to meet with so many of our friends.”
The US Ambassador said earlier today, she spoke to the Overseas Investors’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) and asked that Pakistan’s important and influential business community join with Pakistan’s government and the United States to help meet Pakistan’s long-delayed hopes for a stable democratic government and economic development.
She said she has asked that her staff also work with the Council on an assessment of the damage done by the attack to help facilitate a speedy mobilization of US and other support to victims of the tragedy.
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