Hina Khar to represent Pakistan at world’s biggest business forum
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar will be among the handful of those distinguished women participants, who will speak at one of the world's biggest meeting of the private sector and heads of the government scheduled in Perth, Australia later this month, officials said on Thursday.
The Commonwealth Business Forum (CBF) and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), scheduled to start on October 25th and October 28th respectively, will be attended by top Pakistani officials, including Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, and leading individuals from the business and the corporate world.
Khar will chair a prime slot with Pakistan’s business titans, Mian Mohammed Mansha, Razak Dawood, Asad Umar and Tariq Puri — who are active players in the Commonwealth and emerging markets.
The session is seen as one of the high-points of the forum in which Khar will help frame and present a case for Pakistan as a big market and investment destination, officials said.
“There is a heightened anticipation about this session in Perth ñ both in the government circles and the international press,” said an official, requesting anonymity. “Because of prolonged military rules, Pakistan was frequently forced on the sidelines on this important forum. This is after a long time that trade, investment and business are taking a centre stage for Pakistan rather than issues relating to military rule and democracy.”
Undoubtedly, the private sector businessmen from Pakistan will draw strength from the presence of Khar in Perth.
In recent months, Khar had successfully represented Pakistan on the challenging tours of India and the United States. She not only presented Pakistanís case forcefully on these difficult assignments, but also managed to make a mark because of her natural charisma and personality.
She is being regarded as a major draw at the CBF, taking place along with the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting CHOGM, which Prime Minister Gilani will attend.
However, there are rumours that Khar could stay away from this important forum in the last minute.
The official, who failed to confirm or deny these rumours, said that Kharís absence may in fact put the panel itself at risk as a Ministerial presence is believed to be part of the deal given to countries for such an opportunity.
Indeed some 20 prime ministers are already speaking and chairing other sessions.
Pakistan, the second largest Commonwealth member country and now firmly back in the 54-country club that accounts for 20 percent of world trade and a third of the world’s population, has never been given such a high and prestigious profile.
This is the first visit by a Pakistani prime minister to Australia; a key session on South Asia will herald Aman ki Asha’s first major international visibility outside India and Pakistan.
The Jang Group and Times of India have been specially invited to address a breakfast session about how the media-led civil society peace campaign is gathering momentum and helping change perceptions in both countries.
A major initiative on Commonwealth businesswomen, driven and developed by several women CEOs in Pakistan, will also help convey a more balanced, less one-dimensional and more dynamic perspective on opportunities here.
There is another reason why the foreign minister needs to go and it is about the bottom line — $10 billion worth investment deals will be made in Perth during 72 hours and there is already a growing interest on Pakistan with strong panel and delegate participation.
With the foreign minister championing Pakistanís case, Pakistan team stand a greater chance of getting their due share. Her absence, if rumours be true, would be other countries gain and Pakistan’s loss.
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