Pakistan HC in Colombo Major General Faheem Ul Aziz, HI (M), yesterday (14) hosted a formal reception at his residence to celebrate the very well-deserved achievement of Ms. Musarrat Misbah, a prominent Pakistani entrepreneur and social worker who was honored with the SAARC Woman of the Year Gold Award at the WCIC Prathibhabhisheka Women Entrepreneur Awards 2025.

Pakistan HC statement: “Ms. Misbah is recognized as a renowned humanitarian and social entrepreneur, who is presently heading the Depilex Smile Again Foundation. Her foundation is working as symbol of hope across South Asia, providing medical treatment and vocational training to women. While applauding and recognizing her phenomenal efforts, the High Commissioner appreciated her contributions and the corporate social responsibility, by her foundation. He emphasized that Musarrat’s recognition as the SAARC Woman of the Year reflected the deep-rooted commitment of both Pakistan and Sri Lanka to fostering gender equality and empowering women within the regional framework.”

CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt.) Ltd., the primary developer of Port City Colombo, has pledged approximately US$ 300 million in foreign direct investment to advance Phase II of the Port City Colombo project, marking a significant investment commitment at the start of the New Year and reinforcing confidence in Sri Lanka’s long-term growth prospects, the company said in a statement released yesterday (14)

The investment commitment follows the completion of the relevant regulatory processes and enables the next phase of development of Sri Lanka’s largest and most significant urban development initiative. The US$ 300 million infusion underscores CHEC Port City Colombo’s continued confidence in Sri Lanka’s economic recovery and its commitment to the long-term delivery of the project.

“This US$ 300 million Phase II investment is a clear and deliberate statement of our long-term commitment to Sri Lanka. We are not approaching Port City Colombo as a short-term development, but as a generational project aligned with the country’s future growth”, said Xiong Hongfeng, Managing Director, CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt.) Ltd. “Our decision to continue infusing capital via FDI reflects strong confidence in Sri Lanka’s economic direction and in the role Port City Colombo will play in supporting investment, enterprise, and employment in the years ahead,” he added.

The statement: “The Phase II investment will support the continued development of core infrastructure and utilities within Port City Colombo, Sri Lanka’s first multi-services Special Economic Zone (SEZ). These developments are intended to facilitate increased investment activity, support enterprise formation, and generate sustained employment across construction, services, and related sectors.

CHEC Port City Colombo’s continued long-term investment reflects its firm commitment to seeing the project through to full completion and represents a long-term commitment to Sri Lanka’s future, strengthening FDI inflows, supporting employment and encouraging broader economic spill overs, whilst positioning Port City Colombo as a strategic platform for globally oriented, high-value services aligned with national development objectives.

To learn more about the investment opportunities at Port City Colombo, please visit www.portcitycolombo.lk. For information on Single Window Investment Facilitation and regulatory matters, please visit www.portcitycolombo.gov.lk.”

SJB and Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, has strongly criticised the proposed national electricity policy. Declaring the NPP’s actions as blatantly unfair, Premadasa has urged the government to review the national electricity policy.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Premadasa expressed concern over proposals to charge consumers for street lamps and the introduction of a time-of-use method, where one unit of electricity would be charged at Rs. 67.

He described these measures as “blatantly unfair” and warned that resistance to paying for street lamps could have adverse effects on law and order.

Premadasa also highlighted the proposal to charge for solar generator usage, based on daytime consumption, stressing that such measures should undergo public consultation.

“Proposals, such as payment for solar generators, based on units used by the consumer during daytime, must be subjected to public consultation,”

he said.

He urged the government to fulfill its earlier commitment to reduce electricity prices by 33%, rather than increasing them by 11.57%, and to provide maximum support to the renewable energy sector.

He concluded by condemning what he described as “lies, falsehoods, and deception” in the handling of the electricity policy.