ISLAMABAD: Vivek Ramaswamy, US President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to co-lead a new government department, on Sunday criticized a deal by the New York City government to rent the Pakistan-owned Roosevelt Hotel for a whopping $220 million for what he said were “illegal migrants.”
Cash-strapped Pakistan rented out its iconic Roosevelt Hotel to the New York City government for three years, as per an agreement reached last year.
Pakistan’s then aviation minister Khawaja Saad Rafique said that the New York administration would pay a rent of as much as $210 for each of the 1,025 rooms of the century-old hotel owned by the state-run Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
The New York City administration has repurposed the Roosevelt Hotel as an arrival center for migrants where they can get access to vaccines, food and other resources.
“A taxpayer-funded hotel for illegal migrants is owned by the Pakistani government which means NYC taxpayers are effectively paying a foreign government to house illegals in our own country,” Ramaswamy wrote on social media platform X, responding to a post by American author John Lefevre.
“This is nuts.”
Roosevelt Hotel was closed by Pakistani authorities in October 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic, as the country’s economy weakened and the aviation sector faced significant losses.
However, the facility accumulated liabilities of around $25 million in taxes and other overheads.
Ramaswamy, a former Republican presidential candidate, will co-lead a newly created Department of Government Efficiency with billionaire Elon Musk. Trump has indicated the department will operate outside the confines of government.
Trump cabinet pick criticizes New York’s deal to rent Pakistan’s Roosevelt Hotel for $220 million
https://arab.news/59pgz
Trump cabinet pick criticizes New York’s deal to rent Pakistan’s Roosevelt Hotel for $220 million
- Vivek Ramaswamy has been picked by Trump to co-lead ‘Department of Government Efficiency’
- New York’s iconic Roosevelt Hotel was repurposed into an arrival center for migrants last year
Pakistan, Bangladesh explore avenues for cooperation in railways sector
- Islamabad, Dhaka have lately been looking to strengthen institutional linkages to broaden cooperation amid thaw in ties
- Pakistan offers expertise in railway development, rolling stock and manufacturing to visiting Bangladeshi officials
KARACHI: Pakistani and Bangladeshi officials have discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in the railways sector, including technical collaboration and capacity-building, the Pakistani railways ministry said on Saturday, as the two sides explore avenues to expand bilateral ties.
The statement came after a visit of Bangladesh’s Secretary for International Organizations Farhad Islam and High Commissioner to Pakistan Mohammad Iqbal Hussain Khan to the Pakistan Railways Workshop Division in Lahore.
It comes amid Islamabad’s efforts to rebuild relations with Bangladesh since the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, with both countries looking to strengthen institutional linkages to broaden their cooperation.
The visiting Bangladeshi officials were welcomed at the Pakistan Railways headquarters and briefed on the overall functioning, technical capabilities and projects, according to the Pakistani railways ministry.
“The delegation was subsequently given a detailed tour of the Mughalpura Locomotive Workshop, where they were briefed on various stages of locomotive maintenance, rehabilitation, and manufacturing processes,” the ministry said.
“The distinguished guests termed their visit as highly informative, productive, and encouraging, and appreciated the technical expertise and professional competence of Pakistan Railways.”
Pakistan and Bangladesh were part of the same country until Bangladesh’s secession following a bloody civil war in 1971, an event that long cast a shadow over bilateral ties.
Both countries have moved closer since August 2024, following the ouster of Hasina who was considered an India ally. While Pakistan-Bangladesh ties warm up, relations between Dhaka and New Delhi remain strained over India’s decision to grant asylum to Hasina.
A short documentary highlighting the working and operational strength of Pakistan Railways workshops was also presented to the Bangladeshi officials during their visit.
“Federal Minister for Railways, Mr. Muhammad Hanif Abbasi, remains fully committed to further strengthening bilateral relations with brotherly country Bangladesh, particularly in the areas of railway development, exchange of expertise, rolling stock, and cooperation in manufacturing sectors,” the railways ministry said.
“Minister has expressed his resolve to take forward railway-to-railway cooperation between the two countries, emphasizing that mutual collaboration in the railway sector can yield substantial benefits for both nations.”
