Swedish Ambassador meets Shehbaz Sharif

LAHORE: Swedish Ambassador to Pakistan Ms. Ingrid Jahansson met Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, here on Friday.

Matters of mutual interest and promotion of cooperation in transport, education, health, tourism and other sectors were discussed in the meeting.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that there were strong friendly and economic relations between Pakistan and Sweden and a number of Swedish companies were already working in Punjab.

He said that vehicle inspection and certification system had been introduced in Punjab in collaboration with Sweden and the first modern center under this system had been established in Kala Shah Kako.

He said that similar centers were being set up in other cities of the province as well. He said that cooperation would be promoted between the Punjab government and Sweden in the setting up of driving training schools and issuance of driving licenses and this programme would be extended to the whole province.

Shehbaz Sharif said the Punjab government was setting up a state-of-the-art knowledge park in the provincial metropolis for the promotion of quality education while work was also continuing on the project of Quaid-e-Azam Apparel Park.

He said that a programme of supply of potable water to the people was being successfully implemented in the province with a sum of billions of rupees. He said that solid waste management system had been modernized for providing a healthy environment to the masses. The Chief Minister said that Sweden could extend cooperation in these sectors.

He said the Punjab government would welcome technical assistance of Sweden in the uplift of different sectors as it wanted to benefit from Swedish expertise. Shehbaz Sharif said that final proposals should be submitted for the promotion of cooperation in different sectors.

Swedish Ambassador Ms. Ingrid Jahansson said that his country wanted to cooperate with Punjab in different sectors and was ready to extend technical assistance in transport, solid waste management, public health engineering and other sectors.

Provincial Minister for Excise and Taxation Mujtaba Shuja ur Rehman, Minister for Finance Dr. Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, Chief Secretary, Chairman Planning and Development, Secretaries of Industries and Transport departments and Chairman Taskforce on Information and Culture Muhammad Malik were also present on the occasion.