LCCI observes Industry-Academia Linkage Day today

LAHORE (Staff Reporter): The Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry is celebrating April 1 (today) as “Industry-Academia Linkage day”. The purpose of this initiative is to enhance interaction between the industrial sector and educational institutions. It would help producer skilled human resources as per requirement of the industry. The Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry is focusing on development of research activities and capacity building. To mark first April as “Industry-Academia Linkage day” is the decision of the LCCI President Malik Tahir Javaid, Senior Vice President Khawaja Khawar Rashid and Vice President Zeshan Khalil while suggestion was given by Umer Saleem, Convener Standing Committee for Industry-Academia Linkage. The LCCI would collaborate with academia and undertake projects to help the industry compete with the challenges faced in the 21stcentury. They said that workshops, conferences, symposia and seminars would also be organised.

Umar Saleem, convener of industry-academia linkage committee, and his team are working day and night for the promotion of this cause. They have taken lots of initiatives for bringing all the stakeholders on board. Since last two years, industry-academia linkage committee has planned a series of activities for bridging the perceived gap between the industry and academia.

 Smeda, SIDB to jointly run women business centre in Swat

PESHAWAR (Bureau Report): Smeda and Small Industries Development Board (SIDB) joined hands for jointly running of the Women Business Development Centre (WBDC), Saidu Sharif, Swat for the growth and development of the women entrepreneurs in the area. In this connection, both parties have signed a formal MoU. On behalf of SMEDA, CEO Sher Ayub Khan signed the MoU while SIDB was represented by Managing Director Rasheed Khan respectively. both parties have agreed to shift the furniture, fixtures and equipment of the SMEDA’s WBDC Swat to newly established SIDB Saidu Sharif, Swat up to the end of the current financial year 2017-18 and the furniture, fixtures and equipment shall be properly managed by second party on behalf of the first party. Under the MoU, the Smeda will shift the entire infrastructure including furniture, fixtures and equipment to the board and provide all the technical support including the training programmes and networking activities related to women entrepreneurship.

The evaluation and the centre and coordination with stakeholders and provision of the legal and technical support will also be responsibility of the authority.

The obligation of the SIDB under the MoU is the property takeover of the furniture and equipment of WBDC and a proper receipt letter should also be provided to the Smeda. However, in any case, the SIDB will not be entitled to sell. Sublet, destroy, mortgage, pledge hypothecate or handover the furniture and equipment or any other assets of the centre.

The Small Industries Development Board will also be responsible to implement the activities of the WBDC as envisaged in PC-I and shall be responsible for operational cost including staff appointments as deemed necessary.

In case of default or improper management to run the WBDC on the part of the SIDB Peshawar, the entire furniture and equipment will be taken back by SMEDA. Such a takeover shall be pursuant to the serving of a three months notice by the Provincial Chief SMEDA KP to the SIDB Peshawar.

 Pakistan High Commission to hold trade, investment conference in UK

LONDON (NNI): Pakistan High Commission London, in collaboration with Department of International Trade (DIT), United Kingdom (UK), would organise a high profile trade and investment conference in May this year, a senior official of the Commission said. For the promotion of trade and investment ties between Pakistan and United Kingdom, the conference will focus on sectors including financial service, retail, information technology (IT) and energy sector. While a dedicated segment on China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), keeping in view of British government’s keen interest in the corridor, would also be addressed in the conference, Sajid Mehmood Raja, Commercial Counsellor of Pakistan High Commission told APP here Saturday. Due to the efforts and personal interest of Pakistan High Commission to UK, Syed Ibne Abbas, the DIT UK has provided the prestigious and iconic Mention’s House facility to Pakistan for organising this event which is an honour for our country, he remarked.

He added that Minister for Commerce in Board of Investment (BOI) and representatives from the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) and Pakistan’s local chambers and business community would attend the conference and interact with the British business community and other investors.

He said that Pakistan’s exports to UK witnessed 8 percent increase during the calendar year of 2017.

Sajid Mehmood said that Pakistan High Commission London (PHC) under the leadership of High Commissioner Syed Ibne Abbas was making efforts to further boost up Pak-UK trade and investment relations for the benefit of the people of the two friendly countries.

He said that Great Britain had strongly supported Pakistan for granting of GSP Plus facility by the European Union (EU), adding said that the UK has also announced that this duty-free access facility to Pakistan would be continued even after the post-Brexit trade scenario.

The senior official said that UK is the third largest partner and export destination with pounds 1.2 billion merchandise trade and goods in the year 2017.

He added that in terms of foreign direct investment (FDI), UK is also the largest investor/donor in Pakistan among the European countries, he remarked.

The Senior Commercial Section official informed that due to the efforts of Pakistan’s High Commissioner to UK Syed Ibne Hassan, a number of high profile visits were taken place in Pakistan including visits by Minister of international trade Greg Hands, Lord Mayer Andrew Parmley, adding that visit and appointment of Rehman Chishti MP as British Trade envoy to Pakistan is a big achievement due to the efforts of Pakistan High Commission London saying it would help boost further trade and investment relations between Pakistan and UK.

The Commercial Section High official further informed that UK has taken keen interest and rendered strong support to the multi-billion dollars China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project and wished for being its business partners, which is another big achievement on the part of Pakistan High Commission, UK, he concluded.

 Punjab agri secretary for promotion of oilseed crops

LAHORE (Staff Reporter): Punjab Agriculture Secretary has said the goal of cultivation of oilseed crops will be ensured. In a statement, Muhammad Mahmood said the plan for promotion of olive trees of two million was also being processed rapidly. He said that revolutionary projects for oilseed crop reduced spending on import bills of edible oil. Through these projects, he added, a new window of economic prosperity will open. He said the Agriculture Department was working with these projects to make the farmers more profitable for their benefit. Farmers now have a great opportunity to take advantage of these projects and start a new era of agricultural prosperity, he said. Mahmood said that time has come for cotton sowing and farmers must sow it at large level for betterment of national economy. He said cotton was our major crop and ultimate source of income for farmers in Punjab. He directed field staff to join hands with cotton growers for a bumper crop production and no one will be spared if found not to perform his duties in this regard.