Lahore: An agreement to declare Punjab and California as sister states was signed at the State Capitol building in Sacramento, California on Tuesday (January 9) in the United States of America (USA), news sources reported.
The document was signed by the members of the Pakistani delegation and the members of the California State Legislature. Speaking on the occasion, former Prime Minister (PM) Yousuf Raza Gilani said that it is a new era of Pakistan-US cooperation that will bring more trade and development between the two countries. He said that the accord would deepen mutual cooperation in areas such as trade, agriculture, businesses, technology, and the environment and promote people-to-people contact. Lieutenant Governor of California Eleni Kounalakis said that the agreement would help the two sides expand and solidify ties between California and Punjab.
Moreover, assembly member Chris Holden, a veteran parliamentarian who piloted the resolution, stated that people-to-people contacts and parliamentary exchanges are vital to ensure an enduring and long-term relationship. It is important to note that California declared Punjab its sister state in February last year.
As per the movers of the resolution, declaring Punjab a sister state would bring long-term benefits in terms of investment in technology transfer, bilateral connections, and technical support in education, agriculture, the environment, and cultural linkages.
Nauman Ahmad is an imaginative Pisces whose love for literature and nature is unparalleled. When he's not reading or hiking, he's sleeping and eating, which gives him plenty of energy for his next adventure.
