LAHORE: A delegation of the Gold Art Promotion Council-Pakistan, headed by its President, Muhammad Ahmad, held meeting with the SME Business Support Fund to discuss business relations on April 7, 2011.

The meeting started with the introduction of both the teams. Muhammad Ahmad, the GAPC-Pakistan President gave an overview of their work and efforts already done for the gems and jewellery sector. He expressed the council's desire to work with SME Business Support Fund to enhance growth, competitiveness, quality, effectiveness and productivity of this sector.

The meeting decided the following measures for the development and promotion of the gems and jewellery sector.

In the first phase of the joint programme 50 jewellers will be identified by GAPC-Pakistan who will be trained by the BSF as per the international standards.

List of identified trainers from Sri Lanka will also be provided by the GAPC-Pakistan who will be invited by BSF for the training purposes.

Irfan Qureshi was given an invitation as a guest speaker to BSF's different programmes on entrepreneurship with different universities. Through this opportunity he will share his experiences with the students to encourage them to be a constructive part of this sector as an entrepreneur.

It was also suggested by Syed Saquib Muhyuddin that these upcoming entrepreneurs will later be promoted through BSF's upcoming Gems and Jewellery Portal.

The following participants attended the meeting:

Syed Saquib Mohyuddin, CEO, Ms. Aaminah Zaman Malik, Regional Manager-North (BSF), Usman Arshad Khan, Regional Manager-South (BSF), Omair Abbasi, Manager Marketing & Advocacy (BSF), Salman Javed, Manager Admin & Accounts (BSF), Muhammad Ahmad, President, GAPC-Pakistan, Syed Masood Ali, Secretary General, GAPC-Pakistan, Irfan Qureshi and Ikhlaq Ahmad.