ISLAMABAD: 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 has been postponed sine die due to pandemic of coronavirus.
The upcoming President of SAARC CCI is Iftikhar Ali Malik, a veteran trade leader in Pakistan who has been associated with this chamber since 1990 and remained its vice president for eight consecutive terms and currently holding the position of senior vice president.
The outgoing president of SAARC CCI is Ruwan Edirisinghe who is hailing from Sri Lanka.
Iftikhar Ali Malik talking to a delegation of traders here said that this would be great honour 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 South Asia has so far been relatively less affected by COVID-19 compared to Europe or East Asia.
But experts fear that inadequate healthcare systems, the absence of proper health infrastructure and a lack of hygiene pose a major risk in the region which is home to about 20% of the world’s population.
He said it was 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 the country, 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.
He said that special desks at all airports having well equipped medical teams should be ensured and suspected passengers should be checked thoroughly in all South Asian countries.
There is a need for taking special measures like establishing Standard Isolation Units, ample supplies of Personal Protective Equipment and fully equipped Bio-safety level-III laboratories in all provinces of the region.
