LAHORE, AUG 29 (DNA) – Sewa Adhikari High Commissioner of Nepal to Pakistan on Saturday stressed the urgent needs for exploring the investment avenues in various sectors among the SAARC member countries.

Talking to a delegation led by Iftikhar Ali Malik President SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry which called on at her residence, she said still there is a vast scope for economic integration which needs to be fully exploited.

She hoped new leadership Of SAARC Chamber will endeavour to further strengthen the trade relations and economic ties among all member countries on priority and live upto the aspirations of the private sectors of either sides besides promoting business to business links among the importers and exporters of the region.

Sewa said exchange of business delegations must be encouraged for the development, progress, prosperity welfare and betterment of the poor strata of the region by overcoming abject poverty. She assured full cooperation to help achieving the objectives of the chamber as enshrined in its charter.

She  appreciated the role of apex and allied bodies of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation ( SAARC), working together to defuse the political rifts among the member countries and keeping the prime motive of regional integration alive,”.

She congratulated veteran trade leader Iftikhar Ali Malik and Senator Haji Ghulam Ali for assuming the offices of President and Vice President SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry respectively.

Zubair Ahmad member executive committee and acting Secretary General SAARC Chamber Zulfiqar Ali Butt were also present on the occasion. Iftikhar Ali Malik said that apex and allied bodies of SAARC are the true representation of the people of the region and speak their mind and hearts.

He said that the role of chamber is instrumental in promoting regional economic integration in South Asia and SAARC Chamber is most vibrant and active body of SAARC. He said that SAARC Chamber is actively engaged in business to business relationships, to voice the interest of private sector of region and serve to promote exchange of commercial, technical, industrial management and scientific information, education and know-how amongst its members in South Asia.

Senator Haji Ghulam Ali urged the High Commissioner to play their constructive role in supporting the SAARC mechanism and its allied and apex institutions. He also shared some past memories with him. He said that the government of Pakistan and its people are committed to SAARC mechanism.

He thanked the High Commissioner for her good wishes and assurance for economic integration in the region. He invited the High Commissioner to Peshawar for having direct interaction with private sector and see the culture of the frontier region of Pakistan. =DNA

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