ISLAMABAD: The first high-level business interaction between Pakistan and Sri Lanka will be held in Colombo on Nov 11 to explore areas for promoting bilateral investment and enhancing trade relations.

Commerce Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan will lead a high-powered delegation to the Pak-Lanka business forum. The delegation will comprise public representatives and people from cement, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, sugar, shipping, construction and manufacturing sectors.

The Export Development Board of Sri Lanka is hosting the business interaction forum.

The Pak-Lanka trade and investment talks are taking place in furtherance to the understanding reached between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena in April this year when the latter visited Pakistan.

The two sides had decided to take the bilateral trade and investment to new heights.

To showcase the whole range of Pakistan’s industrial sector to Sri Lankan consumers, the Trade Development Authority of Pakis­tan is organising the Pakistan Single Country Exhibition in Colombo from Jan 15 to17, 2016. More than 150 Pakistani companies are likely to attend the event.

Officials say Pakistan is the second largest trading partner of Sri Lanka in Saarc whereas Sri Lanka is the first country to sign free trade agreement with Pakistan in July, 2002, which was put into operation in June, 2005.

Pakistan is an important export market for tea, followed by rubber, betel leaves and tamarind. For Pakistan, Sri Lanka is an important market for cement, GI pipe, textile, pharmaceuticals, machinery and agricultural items.

During his three-day stay in Sri Lanka, the commerce minister will call on President Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickreme­singhe. He is also expected to hold talks with Lankan Minister for Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister for Public Administration and Management Ranjith Madduma Bandara and Minister for Megapolis and Wes­tern Development Champika Ranawaka.

Published in Dawn, November 9th, 2015

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