Pakistan-Sri Lanka Business Forum:

Sri Lankan companies show keen interest

Anjana Samarasinghe and Charumini de Silva

Chairman Saleem Mandviwala

Many Sri Lankan companies showed their interest in taking their ventures to Pakistan at the Pakistan - Sri Lanka Business Forum, which was held in Colombo on Monday. Sri Lankan companies in mini hydro power projects, boat manufacturing and education made several inquiries from the Pakistan State Minister and Board of Investment Chairman Saleem Mandviwala at the forum.

Industrialists in cement industry requested from the Pakistan authorities to further facilitate the cement industry in Sri Lanka, as Pakistan is one of the major suppliers of cement to Sri Lanka.

Another Sri Lankan exporter requested the Minister to consider importing more copra from Sri Lanka. The Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry Sri Lanka (FCCISL) Past President, Nawaz Rajabdeen proposed to the Pakistan authorities to look at the possibilities of taking up the Embilipitiya Paper Mill, the Ceylon Ceramic Corporation and the Kantale Sugar Plant as the Sri Lankan Government is now considering revamping these ventures with private sector participation.

The Pakistan authorities replied with a positive note that they will request the Pakistan business Chambers to consider this good opportunity.

Pakistan State Minister and Board of Investment Chairman Saleem Mandviwala said that there is a huge scope for mini hydropower projects in Pakistan and they expect to commence projects through Private Public Partnerships (PPPs). Education is another prospective industry in the country where Pakistan will grant necessary concessions for the investors, he said.