Pakistan Sri Lanka Business Forum strongly condemns the dastardly bomb attack in Colombo on the convoy of the Pakistani High Commissioner, Mr Bashir Wali Mohmand on Pakistan’s Independence Day. In a press statement issued in Karachi, the Forum office bearers also conveyed their condolences to those brave Sri Lankans who were innocent victims of this cruel and inhumane act.

PSLBF expresses its confidence in the resolve of the government of President Mahinda Rajapakse to bring peace in the country and hopes that the perpetrators of this cruel act would be caught and given severe punishment. The Forum also echoes the sentiments of the Pakistani High Commissioner who stated that Pakistan’s “policies are always based on principles. We will not condone any terrorism. We believe in the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka and will continue to do so,"

PSLBF is strongly behind the people and the government of Sri Lanka and fervently demands that the governments in the SAARC region take an unified stand on terrorist activities, suicide bombers, and anti-people endeavors. PSLBF also expresses its best wishes and prayers to the High Commissioner and his spouse and applaud them for their brave stand after such an encounter.

Presented for favorable publication in your esteemed publication.

EXECUTIVE OFFICER

22-members Pak-SL Business Forum delegation heads for Colombo ( March 10, 2006)

A 22-member delegation of Pakistan Sri Lanka Business Forum, led by President Abdul Rauf Tabani, accompanied by Sri Lankan Consul General, Ms. Manel De Silva, and consisting of industrialists and businesspersons will leave on Sunday for a one-week visit to Colombo. Announcing this to the media, the Chairman of the Forum, Majyd Aziz, informed that this is the first-ever delegation of the Forum and that the delegation has a very busy agenda.

The delegation will have an audience with the Sri Lankan President, Mr Mahinda Rajapakse, Commerce Minister, Mr Jevraj Fernandopulle, Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion Minister, Rohitha Bogollagama, Chairman BOI, Prof. Lakshman Watawala, and other personalities. They will also have meetings with The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka, and the Sri Lanka-Pakistan Business Council. They will also be special guests at the IMEX 2006 exhibition organized by The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.

The delegation members will have exhaustive interaction with their counterparts in textiles, aviation, fast food franchising, pharmaceuticals, information technology, publishing, logistics and cargo forwarding, shipping, mineral water, construction, certification and accreditation, and apparel, etc. Majyd Aziz added that there is a strong possibility of many business deals being finalized during the visit. The delegation would also take this opportunity to invite His Excellency, the Sri Lankan President to make a stopover in Karachi during his official visit to Pakistan in the coming months.

The delegation also includes office bearers of PSLBF such as Senior Vice President Haresh Kaimal, Vice President Kareem Ispahani, Secretary General Farukh Mazhar, Treasurer Rafiq Rangoonwala, and others.

Presented for favorable publication in your esteemed publication.

ATHAR AHMAD

Ms Verena Von Grafin Roedern, Consul General of Germany, and Ms Manel De Silva, Consul General of Sri Lanka, joined 70 Sri Lankans based in Karachi who donated their blood for the victims of the earthquake at a camp set up at the Sri Lankan Consulate General in Karachi.

Speaking at the occasion, Majyd Aziz, Founder Chairman of Pakistan Sri Lanka Business Forum, stated that this gesture of the Sri Lankans was a manifestation of the close and friendly relations between the two countries and showed their love for the people of Pakistan. He thanked the Sri Lankan community in Pakistan for coming to the camp that was organized at night time due to Ramadhan. He paid tributes to the Sri Lanka Consul General for taking the initiative to organize this event. He said that PSLBF had sponsored the total expenses of the camp as part of its social activities. He said that woman industrialist Farah Agha and the personnel of HOPE, the NGO that collected the blood, worked very hard in assisting the donors. He also thanked the two women Consul Generals for donating blood as this also motivated others.

Abdul Rauf Tabani, President, Haresh Kaimal, Senior Vice President, Syed Farukh Mazhar, Secretary General, S. M Obaid, Honorary Consul of Sri Lanka and Patron of PSLBF, and Dr Haroon Siddiqui, Hon Consul General of Uganda were also present at the camp.

Presented for favorable publication in your esteemed publication.

ATHAR AHMED

Ceylon Tea Center in Karachi soon: Lankan Commerce Minister ( January 26, 2006 )

The Sri Lankan government will be opening its first Ceylon Tea Center in Karachi in a couple of months and that this Center would give the Karachi consumer an opportunity to taste pure Ceylon Tea and learn how Sri Lankan tea exporters have expanded their product range, added value to the product, and packaged it in different flavors and containers. This was announced by Mr Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, Sri Lankan Minister for Commerce, Consumer Affairs, Marketing Development, and Highways at a reception hosted in his honor by Pakistan Sri Lankan Business Forum in Karachi.

Mr Fernandopulle, who is also the Chief Government Whip of Parliament, said that he was heartened to see that the Free Trade Agreement between the two countries is gradually taking off and bilateral trade has exceeded US$ 200 million in such a short time. He stressed the need for more imports of Sri Lankan tea, spices, coconut, and betel leaves since these are premium quality products.

The Commerce Minister, one of the youngest Ministers and a respected lawyer, gave a clarion call for diversifying each country’s exports. He said that there must be more exchange of delegations and more participation in exhibitions and fairs in both the countries. He said that Pakistan has a formidable fabric industry while the apparel industry in Sri Lankan is renowned for its quality, productivity, and workmanship. He said that Sri Lanka has the advantage of GSP Plus from European Union and this could also be beneficial to Pakistan since Sri Lanka offers access to many markets due to its strategic location, literate and skilled workforce, and due to regional trade arrangements.

The Sri Lankan Minister, who also heads his own philanthropic Jeyaraj Education Foundation, paid tributes to the Pakistan Sri Lankan Business Forum for its manifold activities and congratulated it for being the only bilateral forum in Pakistan that has been graced by the presence of a Head of State. He was referring to the MOU signing ceremony in Islamabad early last year between PSLBF and the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce that was witnessed by the erstwhile Sri Lankan President, Mrs Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga.

Earlier, welcoming the Minister, Majyd Aziz, Founder Chairman of PSLBF, highlighted the manifesto of the newly elected Sri Lankan President, the Hon’ble Mahinda Rajapakse, that is titled Mahinda Chinthana. This six-year framework calls for the rapid socio-economic development of the country and visualizes a minimum of 8% growth every year. He particularly mentioned the 300-factories program under which atleast 150,000 youth would be given employment in 300 garment factories set all over the island. He also lauded the establishment of the Ministry for Development of Children which is a unique experiment. Majyd Aziz emphasized the need for more cooperation in skills development and vocational training, especially in garments, knitwear, and education. He also proposed that there should be closer cooperation between the College of Textiles & Clothing that is to be set up in Sri Lanka and the various institutes managed by the textile associations in Pakistan. He also praised the Sri Lankan software sector that has seen its exports cross US$ 100 million and the target is over US$ one billion in the next seven years.

Abdul Rauf Tabani, President of PSLBF, introduced the Commerce Minister and paid tributes on his achievements in the political, legal, and social fields. He also disclosed that he would lead a delegation of the Forum would be visiting Colombo in March to attend the IMEXPRO 2006 and to hold bilateral talks with the Ceylon Chamber and trade officials.

Manel De Silva, Consul General of Sri Lanka, S. M. Obaid, Honorary Consul, Aziz Memon, Advisor of PSLBF, Kareem Ispahani, Vice President, Siraj Kassam Teli, prominent business leader, Haroon Farooki, President KCCI, Dr Haroon Siddiqui, Hon Consul General of Uganda, Jaffer Kudia, President of Bantva Memon Jamaat, Anwer Miannoor, Vice Chairman, REAP, Zeenat Saeed Ahmed, well known woman entrepreneur, and others were present. On behalf of the Forum, Siraj Kassam Teli presented a plaque to the Mr Jeyaraj Fernandopulle.

Presented for favorable publication in your esteemed publication.

ATHER AHMED