LCCI to hold ambassadors moot in Gilgit-Baltistan
LAHORE: The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry has decided to hold an Ambassadors Conference in Gilgit-Baltistan in the month of April wherein all the foreign diplomats would be given detailed briefing regarding this hidden treasure of Pakistan.
The announcement was made at the concluding ceremony of Gilgit-Baltistan Investment Week held here at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Provincial Minister for Education, Excise and Taxation Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman, LCCI President Zafar Iqbal Chaudhry, Senior Vice President Ijaz A Mumtaz, Vice President Faisal Iqbal Sheikh, Gilgit-Baltistan Investment Advisor Mian Shafqat Ali, former Senior Vice President Sohail Lashari also spoke on the occasion.
The very objective of arranging Ambassadors Conference is to give awareness to the foreign diplomats about the potentials of Gilgit-Bltistan so that they would be able attract investment from their respective countries.
The LCCI President Zafar Iqbal Chaudhry said that decision to arrange an Ambassadors Conference in Gilgit-Baltistan was taken with a view to bring the area to the limelight as despite having rich resources, the level of both the local and foreign investment is negligible. He said that the only reason behind it was that never ever in the past was due attention given to this area.
The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry announced four post-graduate level scholarships for the outstanding students belonging to Gilgit-Baltistan. Two scholarships would be given for Agriculture University Faisalabad while the remaining two would be given for the Punjab University. A committee comprising representatives of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Government of Gilgit-Baltistan would finalise the names of the students.
Speaking on the occasion, the Provincial Minister for Excise and Taxation, Mujtaba Shujau Rehman said that the Gilgit-Baltistan Week is a role model for other chambers and they should also arrange such events in the larger interests of the economy of the country.
The Minister said that the MoUs signed between the members of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry and government of Gilgit-Baltistan would not only give considerable boost to the economic activity in that part of the country but would also be helpful in bringing down the rate of unemployment.
He said that the government of Punjab would extend maximum cooperation to the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and the government of Gilgit-Baltistan in the execution of MoUs signed at this mega event.
The LCCI President said that Gilgit-Batistan is not only a land of peace but it is hub of opportunities in true sense of the word. He said that the country could get rid of shortage of electricity once for all if the hydel potential available in the area is tapped.
Speaking on the occasion Gilgit-Baltistan Investment Advisor, Mian Shafqat Ali said that all the Chambers of Commerce in the country would be taken on board for investment in Gilgit-Baltistan.
He said that the Gilgit-Baltistan Investment Week arranged by the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry was first step towards the economic revival of the area and it would be followed by a series of events that would have far-reaching impact for the economy in general and for the people of that area in particular.
Mian Shafqat Ali said that the potential available in the tourism sector could be gauged from the fact that out of total 13 highest peaks in the world, five are in this region. He said that what to talk of foreigners, a large number of Pakistanis are unaware of this fact.
At the end of the function, the Advisor Gilgit-Baltistan Mian Shafqat Ali gave the certificates of participation to all the stallholders and the subject specialists. [Daily Times]
