Former Sri Lankan president Kamartunga, who has arrived here to attend the forthcoming World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF), said on Wednesday that the forum has the potential to introduce new ideas and concepts in the Muslim world and will generate spirit of modernisation and innovative ideas.
WIEF will meet here for its second annual get-together from November 5 where Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will deliver keynote address. The first meeting of the forum was held in Kuala Lumpur last year where Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz was the main speaker.
During her call on Shaukat Aziz at the Prime Minister House she appreciated the Pakistan government for arranging the WIFE meeting and said it would prove to be an excellent forum for promoting business activities.
The Prime Minister said that Pakistan and Sri Lanka enjoy excellent relations and the two countries hold similar views on a number of regional and international issues and added Pakistan considers Sri Lanka an important member of Saarc and the two countries have stood by each other in difficult times.
According to an official press release the Sri Lanka leader will also render advice on the reconstruction and rehabilitation of earthquake affected areas and implementation on Millennium Development Goals as senior Advisor for Unesco.
The PM said Pakistan considers Saarc an important organisation to promote regional co-operation, peace, prosperity and harmony in South Asia for which it should be further energised to help the member states leverage the true potential of the region.
Pakistan is also committed to the spirit of South Asia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) to increase economic co-operation and to give a boost to trade among the Saarc member states, he added. Kamartunga appreciated the growth and development taking place in Pakistan and said Pakistan is moving forward in all walks of life.
Shaukat said Pakistan received overwhelming response to the World Islamic Forum (WIEF). He said the Forum will promote business and economic activities by creating necessary linkages between the business community around the world.
WIEF, the Prime Minister said, will also create a true image of Pakistan around the world, as important leaders, intellectuals and professionals belonging to different walks of life will also attend it.
Kamartunga applauded the pace of reconstruction and rehabilitation work being carried out in the earthquake affected areas and said Pakistan has performed extremely well in coping with the challenges posed by the earthquake of October 8, 2005.
The Prime Minister said government is making all out effort for the early rehabilitation of the earthquake-affected areas. He said more than 90 percent of the people who were living in tents a year ago are now in temporary accommodation or in permanent houses. All facilities of health and education in these areas have been restored in temporary premises or pre-fabricated buildings. The construction of houses is going on in full scale.