Time flies, and 20 years have passed since PJBF was established and I am pleased that it is doing a marvelous work under the Chairmanship of Kalim Farooqi.
Let me recall and put few historical facts on record.
When Ambassador of Japan, H. E. Sadaaki Naumata came to Pakistan in the year 2000, he desired that we need to enhance Trade and Cooperation between two countries and there should be strong body to oversee this. This was a switch from FPCCI Trade Committee, which was non-productive.
Thus, started the mission to establish “Pakistan Japan Business Forum”. I have honor and privilege to liaison with Ambassador Sadaaki Naumata to work out he minute details and structure of this new body.
We received full cooperation from the then Consul General of Japan in Karachi, Mr. Kazumi Dekiba (Late).
I recall having several meetings with Ambassador Sadaaki Naumata in Karachi and in Islamabad.
The Logo which “Pakistan Japan Business Forum” still uses was designed by Creative Design in Karachi and selected out of the many options.
On the 6th February, 2001, the launching Ceremony of “PJBF” took place and all the logistic and arrangements were supervised by the First Secretary General “PJBF” Mr. Majyd Aziz.
The Chief Guest of the occasion was Mr. Abdul Razak Daweed, at that time he was Federal Minister of Commerce, Industries and Production, and Governor of Sindh Mohammad Mian Soomro, Mrs. Shahida Jamil, Minister of Law & Justice and Mr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Sindh Minister for Finance, were present and full fledge delegation of our counterpart in Japan participated.
I recall attending several Ministerial meetings in Pakistan and Japan and in one of the meeting held in Japan we had the pleasure of having with us the then President of Pakistan General Pervez Musharraf and his Cabinet Members.
On retiring from his admirable diplomatic career in Foreign Services, Ambassador Sadaaki Naumata sent me a letter and I quote from it:
“While recalling my years in Foreign Service, I think that creation of “Pakistan Japan Business Forum” was an important event and one to remember”.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021