News

Lankan trade delegation to visit Pakistan

Published

4 years ago

2022/01/2

Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardena will be visiting Pakistan on January 23 accompanied by representatives from 40 to 50 companies to explore avenues of cooperation and collaboration with the business community of Pakistan, said a report published by the Express Tribune quoting Lankan Consul General in Pakistan Jagath Abeywarna.

Addressing a meeting at the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Thursday, the envoy stressed that the delegation would explore the possibility of enhancing trade and investment ties with Pakistani counterparts besides exploring avenues in the tourism sector.

“Most Sri Lankan tourists, who regularly visit India and Nepal, are not much aware of the historical sites in Pakistan,” he said.

He sought the chamber’s cooperation in arranging business-to-business meetings during the visit of the delegation.

He termed exchange of trade delegations the “only way” to improve trade and investment ties between the two sides and advised KCCI to arrange a similar delegation to Sri Lanka.

He was of the view that there was an immense potential to uplift two-way trade and investment.

“Pakistan has very strong pharmaceutical and textiles industries,” he said. “Products from these segments can be exported to Sri Lanka as we import almost all types of pharmaceutical products and fabrics.”

He voiced hope that a huge number of Sri Lankan companies would participate in ‘My Karachi Exhibition’ which was scheduled to be held at Karachi Expo Centre from February 11 to 13, 2022.

On the occasion, KCCI President Muhammad Idrees assured the envoy that his chamber would welcome and facilitate the delegation during its forthcoming visit to Karachi by organising business-to-business meetings.

Quoting statistics, he pointed out that the country’s exports to Sri Lanka stood at $324.7 million during the year 2020 while imports from Sri Lanka were recorded at $78.9 million.

“The actual trade potential is much higher than what the current statistics reveal and we are determined to tap it with join efforts and close coordination with the Sri Lankan side,” he emphasised.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Arif Habib Commodities CEO Ahsan Mehanti underlined that Sri Lanka was an important export market for agriculture and value-added products.

“The economic relations and free trade agreement can prove to be beneficial for both countries give that trade between Pakistan and India is currently suspended,” he said, adding that both the countries were interested in expanding export of services. Furthermore, he emphasised that the two sides could practice barter trade to arrest currency depreciation.

“Sri Lanka is one of those countries where Pakistan and Pakistanis are regarded highly,” said Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) CEO Mukhtar Ahmad Ali.

He was of the view that the government should take proactive steps to strengthen the bilateral relations in diverse sectors including education, health and sports besides enhancing people-to-people ties.

Talking about tourism, Pakistan Business Forum (PBF) Vice President Ahmad Jawad lamented that Sri Lankan tourists largely stayed away from Pakistan which might be “due to lack of marketing and awareness.”

“On the flip side, a huge number of Pakistani tourists visit Sri Lanka,” he underlined. “There needs to be reciprocation in this regard.”

“We need to market our agriculture products through roadshows and Sri Lankan authorities can help us in this regard,” he added.

Pakistan also had a huge export potential in textile products to Sri Lanka, Jawad underlined.

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Business

Cabinet approves establishment of two 50 MW wind power stations in Mullikulum, Mannar region

Published

5 mins ago

2025/12/11

Priyan

Adhering to the broad plan of the Government to reach the objective of accomplishing 70% of the country’s electricity supply from renewable energy sources by the year 2030, the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted on 10.02.2025 to invite requests for resolutions from interested developers of the private sector in order to implement the Mullikulum Wind Power – 100 Mega Watts (two (02) wind power stations of
50 Mega Watts each) on the basis of construction, ownership and execution with a monitoring period of 20 years.

Accordingly, requests for proposals have been called to implement the relevant project by adhering to the international competitive bidding methodology, and seven (7) prospective project proposals were submitted.

Evaluating the said proposals, based on the recommendations submitted by the negotiation committee appointed by the Cabinet of Ministers, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Power to award the contracts of establishing the two (02) 50 Mega Watts Wind
Power Stations to Consortium of Vidullanka PLC & David Pieris Motor Company (Lanka) Limited and WindForce PLC.

Latest News

Cabinet approves the purchase of vehicles to improve the primary health care system across the island

Published

13 mins ago

2025/12/11

Priyan

The Government of Sri Lanka has signed a financial agreement with the International Development Association of the World Bank Group to obtain US$ 150 million under the project for improvement of Primary Health Care System.

This project will be implemented covering all the districts in Sri Lanka during the period 2024 to 2028 with the objective of prevention and management of non- communicable diseases,
elderly and palliative care, including strengthening community level services and building resilience to climate related emergencies.

Insufficient transport facilities for the field officers (Public Health Midwives, public health inspectors, primary care nurses, and surveillance teams) has been identified as decisive obstacles relevant to this project.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Health and Mass Media to procure the below mentioned vehicles necessary to improve the transport capacity for broadening house based care and community relationship coverage, improve the efficiency of field tests and supervisory work, ensure the transport of clinical waste materials safely and proper time.

• 26 clinical waste materials transport lorries
• 26 Double Cabs
• 05 vans with 10 seats
• 02 buses with 42 seats
• 2,891 scooters for Public Health Midwives
• 200 scooters for Public Health Nurses
• 1,350 Motor Bicycles for public health inspectors
• 200 scooters for laboratory Services
• 20 trucks with Refrigerators for the Medical Supply Division
• 08 Fork lifts for the Medical Supply Division
• A crew cab for the Divisional Health Office – Puttalam
• An ambulance fleet for the Jaffna district

News

Cabinet approves the transfer of the constructions and land reserved for the Kiinniya University to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism

Published

22 mins ago

2025/12/11

Priyan

Approval had been granted at the cabinet meeting held on 20-06-2017 to construct on the Upparuwatte land owned by the Land Reformation Commission, with an extent of 12 acres in the Upparu Grama Niladhari Division at the Divisional Secretariat division of Kinniya in the Trincomalee District. Rs. 25.45 million has been spent so far on the construction for this university.

The University of Vocational Technology (UNIVOTEC) has decided that there is no longer a necessity to build a university on that land as planned due to conditions that have arisen later.

Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal
presented by the Prime Minister in her capacity as the Minister of Education, Higher Education, and Professional Education to discontinue the construction of the Kinniya University and to transfer the reserved land and constructions to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism for the
implementation of a project in the tourism field as proposed at the Trincomalee District Coordination Committee.