Brazilian envoy visits vocational centre

Brazilian ambassador Claudio Lins took a Saturday morning off to visit the CES Educational and Vocational
Training Centre in Mohallah Qasimabad in the E-13 area on the outskirts of Islamabad, near the old Golra Railway Station and Museum.

“The school has about 100 students at pre-primary level up to Level 3, and a vocational training section, which teaches both girls and boys in IT, stitching and embroidery. We are planning to hold cooking classes and also hairdressing and beautician classes. In all, about 150 learners have completed training and we are registering new 30 learners in the centre,” Shafique Swati, who runs the NGO named Centre for Empowering Society (CES), said.

“It is very important to provide education to the children in the area. We are focusing more on the girls to acquire education because it is so important for the future when they have their own families,” said Swati.

He added that he was glad that Amna Malik, politician and businesswoman, was sponsoring a group of students.

“We hope more follow Ms Malik’s example otherwise it will be difficult for CES to meet the costs in the long run,” Mr Swati said.

Ambassador Caludio Lins, who had also visited the centre earlier, said: “I was very pleased to be invited to visit the school and see the good work. There is certainly a need for both literacy and other basic education, and indeed skills and vocational training. I believe Pakistan in future must pay more attention to the functional aspects of education and training so that young women and men are able to find employment, or work from home.”

“I was impressed to hear that several of those who have been trained now train others. That is indeed empowering young people,” said Ambassador Lins.

New honorary consul general for Uruguay

Senator Enver Baig and son, Sameer Baig, hosted a dinner reception at the family residence in Islamabad a few days ago to pay thanks to officials and friends at the end of Senator Baig’s 18 years as Uruguay’s Honorary Consul General in Pakistan.

“I will now spend more time in politics and other things, and it is time for a younger man to take over,” said Enver Baig. Sameer Baig, a business executive, has already been approved by both countries to be the new honorary consul general.

“Although Uruguay is a small country with 3.5 million people, situated quite far away in South America, it is important to Pakistan. It is greatly involved in peacekeeping in Kashmir, and is, along with Pakistan, one of the major countries in United Nations peace keeping in the world,” said the new honorary consul general, Sameer Baig, adding that Pakistan’s export to Uruguay includes sports goods and surgical instruments.

“Tourism is a major industry for Uruguay, receiving some three million tourists, especially from neighbouring Argentina and elsewhere in the Americas, and from Europe, with Spain and Portugal in the lead. In future, there is room for cooperation in this field as Pakistan also develops the industry,” said Sameer Baig.

Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2019