August 24, 2003	Sunday	Jumadi-us-Sani 25

ISLAMABAD, Aug 23: The United Nations is organizing a conference at Almatay on trade and transport facilitation for land-locked countries.

According to an official announcement issued on Saturday, secretary commerce, Kamal Asfar will lead the Pakistani delegation comprising directors from the ministries of communication, commerce and foreign affairs at the conference. The United Nations is organizing the conference in collaboration with the World Bank.

The conference has been divided in two parts with the inter- governmental meeting of the senior officials taking place on August 25-27 and ministerial meeting on August 28-29, respectively.

During the first meeting on the subject at New York, Pakistan pleaded its case very effectively for getting a major share in the infrastructure development and trade facilitation.