OKARA: Malaysian High Commissioner Muhammad Azhar Bin Mazlan with a three-member delegation met with the delegation of the Okara Chamber of Commerce & Industries (OCCI) on Saturday. He laid the foundation stone for a 100-bed hospital. This project will be funded by philanthropists of the Okara Patient Welfare Association (OPWA).

The diplomats had a meeting with the office bearers of the Potato Growers Society and traders and business organizations in the district and visited a private rice plant.

Mr Mazlan said that in the past, his country would import furniture and textile items from Pakistan, but now Malaysia was ready to import agricultural produce and poultry items as well. In the context of Halal food, he noted that previously, most poultry was being imported from Australia and other countries, but there is now a vast scope for the import of poultry-related items for Malaysia. He said a $3 billion market for Halal food exists in Malaysia.

He said that Malaysia was a major exporter of palm oil, but Pakistan’s agricultural lands and climate are very suitable for palm cultivation. He stressed close relationship between Malaysia and Pakistan to expand trade and other sectors for exchange. He said that through trade and business with Malaysia, Pakistan can also access the ASEAN market. He said 100,000 Pakistanis are in Malaysia. Currently, 5,000 Pakistani students are receiving education in Malaysia, as it has sub-campuses of many international universities.

Mr Mazlan said that Malaysia gained independence in 1957, and Pakistani legal and constitutional expert Justice Abdul Hameed made significant contributions to framing the Malaysian constitution.

OCCI President Chaudhry Naveed, PGS Vice President Chaudhry Muhammad Maqsood Jutt, trader organization representative Sheikh Riaz Anwar, OPWA representative Abdul Ghafoor, rice processing industry representative Shahnaz Zafar, University of Okara VC Dr Prof Muhammad Wajid, and former parliamentarians Rao Ajmal, Yawar Zaman, Mian Munir, and Muneeb ul Haq were in attendance.

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2023