A senior official from the United States has extended assistance to facilitate the placement of Pakistani film content on the globally renowned over-the-top (OTT) streaming platform Netflix, aiming to enhance cultural and people-to-people ties between the two nations.
The offer was made by California’s Lieutenant Governor, Eleni Kounalakis, during her meeting with Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US, Masood Khan, in Los Angeles on Thursday.
If realized, this initiative would significantly amplify the presence of Pakistani content on a global scale, leveraging Netflix’s extensive audience, which boasts approximately 269 million paid subscribers as of the first quarter of 2024, according to Statista.
Governor Kounalakis emphasized the United States’ superior technological and labor practices and pledged support to fortify bilateral cooperation between the State of California and Pakistan.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Khan highlighted the connection between Silicon Valley and Pakistan, noting investments from Pakistani diaspora and American firms in Pakistan’s technology sector.
He also identified opportunities for collaboration in the renewable energy sector.
Commending the governor’s efforts in establishing the Punjab-California Sister State relationship, Khan urged for further enhancing cooperation under this initiative.
Addressing agricultural development, Khan sought Washington’s expertise in modernizing agriculture, hybrid seed development, and climate-smart crops, citing ongoing cooperation between universities in Faisalabad and the US.
Additionally, Ambassador Khan visited Elon Musk’s SpaceX headquarters and the Starlink facility, where he commended SpaceX’s technological advancements.
During a luncheon hosted by the World Affairs Council of Orange County, Khan emphasized Pakistan’s role as an economic bridge between the US and China, advocating for strengthened Pak-US relations and bilateral cooperation across various sectors.
He underscored the importance of people-to-people exchanges and highlighted Pakistan’s tech exports to the US, amounting to $1.4 billion in 2023.
