LAHORE: A grand ceremony of handing over of presidency of SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) to Pakistan from Sri Lanka which was earlier scheduled to be held in the last week of March in Islamabad has been postponed sine die due to pandemic of coronavirus.
Iftikhar Ali Malik talking a delegation of traders here Thursday said that this would be great honor for Pakistan to take presidency of SAARC CCI but due to unusual circumstances due to pandemic of coronavirus, the ceremony of handing over presidency to Pakistan should be postponed. He said the threat of a global coronavirus pandemic was “very real” as the contagion continued its rapid spread around the world and it is a thing of relief for the people of this region that South Asian countries have pledged to collaborate in stemming the spread of coronavirus which has claimed thousands of lives globally. He also called for formulating a six-month strategy to address the long-term economic as well as social impacts besides the health concerns caused by the pandemic.
He said it is time now that South Asian countries come forward with commitment and determination setting an example to the world, and contribute to a healthier planet putting all kinds of skirmish on the backburner as corona virus is a common threat for human beings.
Iftikhar Malik appreciating Prime Minister Imran Khan for taking all necessary actions to curtail the impact of coronavirus on the economy of Pakistan, he said that not only the government but all segments of society would have to play role in this regard as any leniency frailty can be resulted in a huge loss.
