Karachi, United States (US) Consul-General (C-G) in the city William Martin has underlined the importance of English language education for success in business and academia in today’s global village.

The US diplomat was speaking at a reception hosted by him at his residence here on Saturday evening for the participants of the ongoing conference of the Society of Pakistan English Language Teachers (SPELT).

“We believe professional development in education and especially in English language that benefit not only the students, but also Pakistan as a whole,” said the US Consul-General in Karachi.

“We also think that English helps to broaden not only verbal communication but also serves as a medium for cross-cultural understanding. English helps to break down barriers,” he said.

He said that English was now so widely used in business that it was almost a necessity for success on the international stage. “Important economies of Asia are focusing resources on English education. They know English speakers are better able to prosper in the university and obtain higher degrees.

Martin said that multinational companies were hiring English speakers while English had become the common tongue for businessmen to communicate to each other although English was regarded as the second language by them.

About the ongoing SPELT moot, the US diplomat said that this conference now in its 26th year would touch over 2,000 English language educators in Pakistan. “It provides a needed forum for the interchange of successful strategies, methodology, and the latest research in English language teaching from all over the English speaking world”. Honorary Executive Director SPELT, Prof. Zakiar Sarwar also spoke.