ISLAMABAD, Nov 28 (APP): Pakistan High Commissioner in Sri Lanka Maj. Gen. ® Syed Shakeel Hussain and Sri Lankan Minister for Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Rajitha Senarathne have jointly inaugurated Pakistan’s food, shopping and cultural festival with painting and photographic exhibition at Waters Edge Hotel.
The event was attended by several important personalities from the Sri Lankan business and trade sectors along with Sri Lanka based diplomatic corps and a large number of people from different walks of life.
The exhibition will remain continue till Nov 29, a message received here Monday said.
Pakistan High Commissioner speaking on the occasion said that Pakistan has a rich cultural diversity as the country was largely multilingual, multi-ethnic and multi-cultural.
The primary aim to organize the festival was to introduce rich Pakistani food, diverse goods and commodities being produced in Pakistan, he added.
He emphasized that such exhibitions would not only promote the soft image of the country, but also promote the national talents in the field of paintings, photography and other forms of art at the international level.
Shakeel reiterated that the Government of Pakistan was making all out efforts to multiply the volume of two-way trade between the two regional countries.
Minister for Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Rajitha Senarathne said the exhibitions and festivals were a proven tool to promote bilateral trade and economic relations between the two countries.
He said the large participation of public in the festival was enough to make the point that the people of Sri Lanka were great lover of Pakistani products and food.
The festival in the vibrant city of Colombo would be remembered for a long time. Pakistani cuisine is a specialty of the event as Sri Lanka has
a big majority of eastern food lovers and Pakistani food and its taste was not new to their taste buds.
Painting and photographic exhibition was also a component of this colourful event.
The exhibition showcased masterpieces of famous painters and photographers who had flown to Sri Lanka to highlight the real image of Pakistan.
The festival is also displaying Pakistani quality products including home textiles, footwear, garments and apparel, handicrafts, traditional food, rice, fashion wear etc.
Concurrently, the High Commissioner and the Minister for Health attended an induction ceremony of Dr. Lakkumar Fernando as the new President of Sri Lanka College of Pediatrician.
The congratulatory video message of Chief Minister of Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif was also played on the occasion.
Through his message the Chief Minister not only congratulated D. Lakkumar Fernando as being inducted as new President of the college, but also offered his gratitude for the services Fernando rendered along with a team of Sri Lankan doctors to control Dengue outbreak in Punjab Province during 2010-2011.
