Ashraf AboArafe
Believing in the role of honest media in accordance with the journalistic code of honor and therefore being the other side of development in all its forms for the same coin, we had to conduct a journalistic investigation and a comprehensive survey of the opinions of the Pakistani guests participating in the 4th PAK-AFRICA.
While the Egyptian political leadership is making every effort in word and deed to promote investment in Egypt internally and externally, hence the giant road network and its axes, the birds of darkness internally and externally always stand as a major obstacle in the way of the dreams of Mr. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and those loyal to him around, but God is victorious over his affairs, no matter how difficult or cunning the birds of darkness are, and our trust of Mr President al-Sisi is highly confidential snd the sweet harvest will be actually during the next presidential period, God willing.
No doubt the Egyptian diplomacy and the relevant agencies succeeded in convincing Pakistan for holding the “4th Pak-Africa” in Egypt as a representative of Arabism and Islam to be a full-fledged bridge between Asia and Africa.. So, the Pakistani Embassy to Egypt and the faithful elements of all relevant Egyptian authorities did their best for the success of the conference which was scheduled to be held in Jan. 8 till 11 of the same month 2024. But, the exhibition was forced to be shortened to Jan. 10 according to the complaints of the Pakistani exhibitors as follows despite the embassy’s praise hoping the next one to be better:
* The complete absence of the Egyptian public at the exhibition, perhaps due to lack of advertisement before the event 6 months at least..?!
* Pakistani exhibitors are too sad for taking two months and more to obtain an entry visa to Egypt, so most of them obtained their visa two days before the exhibition start, and depriving others of obtaining visa despite handing over their passports more than two months before the exhibition beginning… and thus the inability of the Pakistani participants to prepare well for the exhibition requirements. .etc..?!
* Some customs employees forced participants in the exhibition to pay bribes between 300 dollars and more than 500 dollars just to allow them to accompany typical samples of their products although the Pakistani embassy notified the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the names of the participants… Unless the exhibitors submit to the blackmail of some customs officers, their samples or some of them were confiscated.. For example, one of a pair of shoes (right or left shoe) was confiscated, and so on..?!
* The absence of concerned parties for participating their Pakistani counterparts, such as Egyptian businessmen, Egyptian companies, and the Ministry of Culture, which did not participate with Pakistani folk singing groups and introducing Pakistanis to Egyptian folklore according to the objectives of the conference to boost the bilateral relationships between Egypt and Pakistan.
Considering that the media is one of the tools of development, whether by praising distinguished performance or highlighting those who disabile I the development process and the keenness of both Egypt and Pakistan to strengthen the bonds of brotherhood and inter-relations of 75 years of diplomacy, Mr. Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, Additional Foreign Secretary for Middle East, met with his Egyptian counterpart Ambassador Ahmed Shaheen, Assistant Foreign Minister for Asia, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, today. Mr. Sajid Bilal, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Egypt, was also present in the meeting.
During the meeting, the two sides reviewed broad range of bilateral relations including political, trade and investment ties. They also discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral relations including by early convening of the next round of Joint Ministerial Commission meeting and Annual Bilateral Consultations in Islamabad, this year.
Both sides lauded the successful holding of 4th Pakistan-Africa Trade Development Conference and Single Country Exhibition in Cairo from 9 to 11 January 2024, which coincided with the 75th anniversary celebrations of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. They agreed to continue their consultations for giving further impetus to the excellent relations existing between the two countries. This is according to a statement by the Pakistani Embassy in Cairo.
..And not finally, we all hope for a correction of what we observed in our report and the restructuring of state workers within the framework of “the right person in the right place” and the great Egypt is FIRST.. long live to Egypt.
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