News
KDU and CUI, Pakistan collaborate on advanced biomaterial research

University Islamabad in Pakistan (CUI) and General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) in Sri Lanka have inked a Document of Understanding to collaborate on advanced biomaterial research.
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Tabassum Afzal, Rector CUI and Major General Milinda Peiris, Vice Chancellor, KDU signed the document of collaboration at a ceremony held online, COMSATS said in a press release.
The Interdisciplinary Research Centre in Biomedical Materials (IRCBM), a state of the art research centre at CUI Lahore campus will collaborate with KDU on respective national regulations on safety and security of sensitive materials, goods, technologies and equipment.
Prof. Afzal said that the core focus of partnership between CUI and KDU will be in the field of advanced biomaterials and allied areas that are much needed in Pakistan. “While there is a limited development of products such as synthetic skin substitute, wound dressings for foot ulcer patients, artificial bone fillers, disease monitoring and diagnostic devices and stem cells linked with therapies in our part of the world. The future is indeed bright with the kind of functional partnership such as the one we are signing today.”
Prof. Afzal also added that interdisciplinary research in IRCBM is globally recognized and transnational in nature. “It is our crown jewel because of its high impact factor research. While CUI continues to grow within Pakistan, we are also very keen on developing our international linkages and partnership with centres of excellence in the developing world.”
The centre was established in the year 2008 to research and deliver indigenously-developed low-cost healthcare solutions to the local market.
Prof. Afzal conveyed his satisfaction that currently three brilliant and outstanding Sri Lankan students are studying in CUI doing their MS degrees. He desired hosting more international students from Sri Lanka, thus offered 100 percent tuition fee waiver to the Sri Lankan students particularly from KDU.
Major General Milinda Peiris said that the objectives of collaboration is to cooperate and develop the activities related to any field in which CUI and KDU have shared interests, such as biomaterials, tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, sensors and biosensors and allied fields.
In addition, both universities will explore possibility of exchange of programs for students, faculty members and scientists, joint supervision of PhD students, mutual organisation of lectures, conferences, symposia and training programmes.
Maj. Gen. Dr. Shahid Ahmad Hashmat (Retd.) former High Commissioner of Pakistan in Sri Lanka informed about efforts of the Government of Pakistan for the promotion of educational and research opportunities with Sri Lanka. He explained efforts of the Higher Education Commission, Government of Pakistan to offer fully funded scholarships to the students of Sri Lanka who wish to study BS, MS and PhD programmes in leading universities of Pakistan.
UI Niyas, Counsellor (Political and Trade), High Commission of Sri Lanka in Pakistan thanked for giving opportunity to the Sri Lankan High Commission in Islamabad to witness signing of DOU between top universities of both countries. He appreciated KDU as well as CUI’s development and growth.
He said that he is very happy and confident that this collaboration will be the initial step and will open more avenues of partnership between the two universities.
News
UNHRC Chief due here: Chagie asks NPP govt. to set the record straight

Former General Officer Commanding (GOC) of fighting Divisions Maj. Gen. Chagie Gallage has said that the government should take tangible measures to thwart interested parties from exploiting forthcoming visit by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk to propagate unsubstantiated war crimes accusations.
The Gajaba Regiment veteran said that the National People’s Power (NPP) government could use the top UN official’s visit to make a comprehensive presentation to him.
UN Resident Coordinator in Colombo Marc-André Franche recently announced the top human rights official’s visit. A delegation from Geneva is expected early next week.
Gallage pointed out that various interested parties, both here and abroad, issued statements ahead of the visit. Responding to The Island questions, the outspoken officer pointed out UK born Labour MP Uma Kumaran, a new entrant to UK parliament of Sri Lankan Tamil origin taking up what a section of the media called Sri Lanka’s new mass grave at Chemmani, Jaffna.
Having mentioned the Chemmani mass graves, the parliamentarian has written an open letter to Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy, MP, Kumaran has emphasized the responsibility on the part of the UK government to refer perpetrators of alleged war crimes to the International Criminal Court. “We must remind both lawmakers Lammy and Kumaran that the LTTE maintained its International Secretariat in London even at the time most probably a child suicide cadre blew up former Indian Congress Party leader Rajiv Gandhi in May 1991,” Gallage said.
The British Tamil Forum (BTF), too, has taken it up in an obvious bid to heap pressure on the government ahead of the UN Human Rights chief’s visit. The retired officer laughed at efforts to find fault with Sri Lanka for eradicating terrorism 17 years ago while massive death and destruction was taking place in Gaza, Iran and Israel.
Alleging that successive governments since the end of the war in May 2009 pathetically failed to counter unsubstantiated war crimes allegations, Gallage stressed the NPP’s responsibility to set the record straight.
Commenting on various parties comparing Sri Lanka’s successful war against LTTE terrorists and the Israeli offensives following Hamas raids in southern Israel in early Oct 2023, the former GOC said that they couldn’t be equated under any circumstances. “Ours was an internal conventional military threat that had been created by India in the 80s. We had no option but to neutralize that threat when it threatened to overwhelm the democratically elected government,” the retired officer said. “In other words what we really did was self-defense. That is the truth the likes of MP Kumaran flagrantly exploited to their advantage,” Maj. Gen. Gallage said, challenging the parliamentarian to disclose why and when her parents fled Sri Lanka.
The global community must appreciate the eradication of the LTTE for once and for all as terrorism shouldn’t be allowed to succeed anywhere in the world under any circumstances. The madman who massacred 77 people in Norway, mostly teenagers in two attacks on the same day in 2011 had been influenced by the forcible eviction of the Muslim community from the Northern Province in 1990, Maj. Gen. Gallage said. Those who carried out the suicide attack on guided missile destroyer USS Cole in the port of Aden, Yemen in Oct 2000 declared they were inspired by Sea Tiger attacks on Sri Lanka Navy.
Instead of protesting the UN Human Rights chief’s visit, Sri Lanka should use the opportunity to highlight how the LTTE’s eradication benefited the country. Ending the despicable practice of forcible conscription of children was one of the significant achievements, the retired infantry officer said. Whatever those who couldn’t stomach Sri Lanka’s victory over the LTTE say in a bid to belittle the war winning armed forces, the truth is the LTTE regarded children as cannon fodder.
“How many lives were saved as a result of our triumph over terrorism 17 years ago,” Gallage asked, urging the Tamil Diaspora and other interested parties to come to terms with the reality. The LTTE couldn’t be resurrected by peddling lies, Maj. Gen. Gallage said, reminding how mega lie about Mannar mass graves and killing captured/surrendered LTTE cadres by lethal injections during the yahapalana rule exploded in their face.
Responding to another question, the ex-field commander said that the combined armed forces could have finished off the LTTE much earlier if they didn’t take the civilian factor into consideration. Referring to Wikileaks revelations, Gallegae said that no less an organization than the ICRC soon after the end of the war admitted that they could have done so but chose to proceed with care and in the process suffered more losses.During 2009 (Jan 1 to May 19) the army lost about 2,400 officers and men.
By Shamindra Ferdinando ✍️
News
NPP vows action against Mahinda, Maithri, Ranil, Basil, others over dairy cows

NPP MP Nihal Galappatthi told Parliament yesterday that several top political figures, including three former Presidents and a number of former Ministers, had been implicated in a USD 110 million cattle import scam.
Galappatthi named former Presidents Mahinda Rajapaksa, Maithripala Sirisena, and Ranil Wickremesinghe, along with former Ministers Basil Rajapaksa, P. Harrison, Wijith Wijithamuni de Zoysa, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, and Lakshman Wasantha Perera, as being involved in the large-scale fraud.
Galappaththi declared that none of those responsible would be shown leniency.
The MP said the scam involved the importation of aged, non-productive cattle on the pretext of importing dairy cows. The project, which was presented as a means to boost local dairy production, had become a vehicle for massive financial irregularities, Galappatthi said.
by Saman Indrajith ✍️
News
As dengue rages in 16 districts authorities to hold National Mosquito Control Week

The National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU) yesterday announced that the health authorities would launch a nationwide mosquito control week from 30 June to 05 July across 16 high-risk districts.
The campaign had been in response to a surge in mosquito density driven by ongoing southwest monsoon rains, said Dr. Priscilla Samaraweera, Community Specialist at the NDCU, speaking at a press briefing in Colombo.
“This programme will target 111 Medical Officer of Health (MOH) divisions. Our teams will carry out inspections in vulnerable areas to detect and destroy mosquito breeding sites,” Dr. Samaraweera said. “Red notices will be issued to premises found to be maintaining breeding grounds, and legal action will follow where necessary.”
The move comes amid a concerning rise in dengue cases, with 26,775 infections and 14 related deaths reported so far this year. The Western Province accounts for nearly 45% of the total cases, while high numbers have also been recorded in the Eastern, Sabaragamuwa, and Southern provinces.Dr. Samaraweera confirmed the current year’s first dengue-related child fatality and urged the public to cooperate with disease control efforts to prevent further loss of life.
By Chaminda Silva ✍️
-
Features5 days ago
As I remember, from 50 years ago: the 75-80 Katubedda Engineering Batch
-
Features5 days ago
Writing History on Paris Clay – French Open 2025
-
Life style5 days ago
Miss World from Thailand!
-
Features4 days ago
When the water rises: Climate change and the future of Yala’s Mugger Crocodiles
-
Editorial6 days ago
Sugar Scam: Get at bitter truth
-
Features5 days ago
Failed institution
-
News4 days ago
SC appointment: AKD withdraws his nominee, SJB to raise issue in House
-
Business1 day ago
Spring board to ‘unleashing a new era in start-up driven growth’