With the vision of “Re-Connecting the Alumni for Greater
Collective Good”, the “Pakistan Alumni Society of Sri Lanka (PASS)” was
launched yesterday at an impressive ceremony at a local hotel in Colombo, says
a press release received here today from Sri Lanka.
Foreign
Secretary of Pakistan, Ms. Tehmina Janjua was the chief guest on the occasion
and launched the alumni society in the presence of a large gathering including
Sri Lankan ministers, dignitaries, representatives of armed forces, educational
institutions, academia and people from different walks of life.
The Society
aims to connect the universities of both countries under various scholarship
programmes. Through this Alumni Society, the public and private sectors as well
as civil society will be able to build networks and create professional
opportunities that will contribute to the advanced knowledge development of two
countries.
Addressing the
gathering, the Foreign Secretary underscored that Pakistan has excelled in
many fields of higher education, particularly medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and
engineering, management & social sciences and provides a wonderful and cost
effective option for talented Sri Lankan students. Over the last many decades,
thousands of Sri Lankan students and professionals have benefitted from
education and training in Pakistan, she added.
Ms. Tehmina
Janjua referred the visit of Prime Minister of Pakistan to Sri Lanka in 2016,
during which Pakistan offered to develop a “Knowledge Corridor” for Sri Lankan
students and civil and military personnel, through scholarships and trainings
in our universities and training institutions. This initiative, termed as Prime
Minister’s Pak-Lanka Knowledge Corridor, will open up immense opportunities for
Sri Lankan nationals to study at higher education institutions of Pakistan on
scholarships and highly concessional terms, she emphasized.
Pakistan’s High
Commissioner-designate to Sri Lanka, Dr. Shahid Ahmad Hashmat said
that the Alumni Society will engage the members and provide them means to
learn, integrate, and share their experience and memories during their
education and training for the benefits of a larger community.
Heapplauded the office bearers of the newly formed society and wished them
all success in their endeavors to make it a great success and future oriented
body.
Deputy High
Commissioner of Pakistan, Dr. Sarfraz Sipra briefed the audience about the
prospects, vision and mission statement of the alumni society. He also
announced the interim board which will work until the holding of first general
meeting of the society in six months’ time.
All Sri Lankan
citizens those who received any professional qualification or attended short or
long term training programmes in Pakistan are eligible to join the Society.
