SIALKOT-Ambassador of Argentine in Pakistan Ivan Ivanissevich visited several leading industrial units in Sialkot during the second day of his visit here on Friday.
He showed keen interest in manufacturing and production processes of sports goods and surgical instruments. He also hailed the craftsmanship of the Sialkot based artisans.
During his visit to several leading industrial units in Sialkot, the Ambassador of Argentine said that the Pakistani businessmen would be most welcomed in Argentine.
He said that the Sialkot exporters have great potential to explore and capture the international trade markets of Argentine and EU countries through Argentine as well by exporting their diversified traditional and non-traditional export products.
Talking to the Sialkot based leading industrialists and exporters, he said that Argentine wanted to establish strong mutual trade ties with Pakistan.
He added that Argentine was much keen to boost the trade ties with Pakistan, pledging to make efforts to remove all the hurdles from the way of promoting the mutual trade between Pakistan and Argentine.
He said that the time was high to do more for further increasing the mutual trade ties. He assured to make an all-out effort to increase the mutual trade volume. He said that Pakistan business community ensure maximum exports to Argentine and other European Union Countries through Argentine by taking full advantages of GSP Plus.
Earlier, while addressing a meeting of Sialkot exporters held at Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), he stressed the need of making sincere efforts to establish strong trade relations between Pakistan and Argentine.
Addressing another meeting held at Pakistan Sports Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PSGMEA), the Ambassador assured Sialkot exporters of their easy access to international Argentine trade markets and even the EU trade markets through Argentine.
On the occasion, PSGMEA Chairman Husnain Iftikhar Cheema stressed a need for making some effective joint efforts to boost mutual trade. SCCI President Zahid Latif Malik presided over the meeting.
Sialkot-based artist passes away
Sialkot-based artist Aurang Zeb Rao, commonly known as AZ Shama Rao (72), passed away after protracted illness and was laid to rest in his native graveyard at Sialkot. He had dreamt of having an academy in Sialkot for the promotion of art. A large number of people from all walks of life attended the funeral. They also laid the floral wreaths at his grave and offered Fateha.
Aurang Zeb Rao remained bachelor the whole of his life. He often used to say that he had married with his art. Some of his nephews said that AZ Shama could not find his ideal as life partner. Then, he preferred to remain unmarried after the passing of his youth.
Earlier, also Bashir Kanwar had dreamt of promoting art in Sialkot but both have died after spending their lives. The death of Bashir Kanwar and now AZ Shama Rao in wait of establishing art academy could not jolt or shake the conscience of the government functionaries.
AZ Shama Rao would live a very miserable life at his nephews' house in Sialkot city's congested Pooran Nagar locality.
In his recent interview, AZ Shama Rao had said, "I have spent almost whole of life in the promotion of art without any support from the government."
Despite the repeated requests made by him for the government's financial support, the government did not pay attention to his requests.
His grieved family said that he devoted his life for the promotion of the art and he earned nothing more than a good name in the society.
He wrote "Kalma-e-Tayyuba" on the seed of rice, made paintings of Khana-e-Kaaba and Masjid-e-Nabvi (PBHU). He had received several appreciation certificates from the government but he remained an unsung hero.
Local people urged Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif to provide a piece of land for the establishing an art academy in Sialkot.