Pakistan to provide cement, sugar plants on credit

President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday assured Sri Lanka of providing soft term credit facilities for the export of Pakistani cement and sugar plants.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari having talks with Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa on Monday.

He was meeting a Sri Lankan Parliamentary delegation headed by Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa, that called on him at Governor House. Senate Chairman Farooq H Naek, Speaker of the National Assembly Dr Fehmida Mirza and Chairman of Board of Investment Saleem Mandviwala were also present on the occasion.

The Sri Lankan delegation also included Disaster Management Minister A H M Fowzie. President Zardari said that Pakistani entrepreneurs should invest in Sri Lanka and its government must provide incentives, including repatriation of investment to attract investment from Pakistan. He also stressed for enhancing economic cooperation between the two countries, including exchange of gem and stone cutting experts from Sri Lanka to Pakistan and Pakistani experts to Sri Lanka. He added." Pakistan can train police and intelligence officers of Sri Lanka".

The President underlined the need for increasing export of Sri Lankan tea to Pakistan and said that bilateral trade should be in local currency. Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa said that Sri Lanka fully supported Pakistan's efforts and role regarding the war on terror to curb terrorism in the country and around the world. He highly appreciated the support extended by Pakistan to the Sri Lankan Army in combating terrorism.

KARACHI, JAN 10 APP