At the invitation of the Gujranwala Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GWCCI), High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Pakistan, Rear Admiral Fred Senevirathne (Rtd) visited Gujranwala on 12 August 2026 and met with the President, Executive Committee members and members of GWCCI.
The High Commissioner, accompanied by Head of Chancery/Minister of the High Commission of Sri Lanka A. Christy Ruban, was warmly welcomed by President of GWCCI, Yasmin Dawood and members of the Chamber. The High Commissioner thanked the President and the Chamber for the invitation and appreciated the arrangements made for the visit.
In her welcome remarks, President of GWCCI Yasmin Dawood highlighted the Chamber’s growing role in promoting women-led businesses and entrepreneurship. She noted that the Chamber currently has 108 members representing more than 40 registered business and service categories, including fashion and textiles, beauty salons, pharmaceuticals, organic products, food and baking, handicrafts, interior design and décor, art galleries and other emerging sectors.
The President also recalled her visit to Sri Lanka with members of the Chamber last year, during which they held initial discussions with their Sri Lankan counterparts on strengthening institutional and business-to-business relations between Sri Lanka and Pakistan. She noted that these engagements subsequently contributed to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), marking an important step towards enhanced cooperation between the two business communities.
The High Commissioner briefed the participants on the current political and economic situation in Sri Lanka, highlighting the country’s ongoing economic recovery and efforts to create a conducive environment for trade and investment. He also outlined Sri Lanka’s investment opportunities and potential sectors of interest for Pakistani investors, while highlighting measures taken by the Government of Sri Lanka to attract and facilitate foreign investment.
During the meeting, the High Commissioner briefed the participants on the forthcoming Economic and Investment Summit 2026 and Expo 2027 through a detailed presentation. He highlighted the opportunities these events would provide for businesses to explore new markets, establish partnerships, promote investment and expand bilateral trade and commercial relations.
Members of GWCCI expressed keen interest in participating in Expo 2027 and exploring opportunities for collaboration with Sri Lankan businesses and institutions. President of GWCCI, Yasmin Dawood expressed her willingness to lead a delegation of GWCCI members to Sri Lanka to participate in the event and explore potential business and investment opportunities.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to further strengthen women-led entrepreneurship, trade, investment, institutional linkages and business-to-business cooperation between Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Both sides expressed the hope that continued exchanges and participation in upcoming events would contribute to expanding economic and commercial relations between the two countries.
Head of Chancer of Minister of the High Commission of Sri Lanka A. Christy Ruban also attended the meeting.
Sri Lanka High Commission
Islamabad
19 August 2026
