The end of the war and the start of the reconciliation and reconstruction process have led Sri Lanka once again being in the limelight. With basic infrastructure in place in two years time, all parts of the island will have uninterrupted power supply, and with a literacy rate of over 90%, there are numerous opportunities for business and growth in Sri Lanka. The general feeling is that Sri Lanka is about to take off, states The Express Tribune, an internationally affiliated newspaper in Pakistan today (6 Sep).

“There are many investors lining up too. Many of them are Pakistanis, sick of the lack of facilities and rise in violence at home. South Asia is looking again at the Sri Lankan model”, the paper quotes Kalyan Banerjee, an Indian who now heads Rotary International. “Sri Lanka continues to lead the way for the rest of us to follow,” The Express Tribune adds.

“There is much to learn for Pakistan and not just in terms of human indicators. For one, President Mahinda Rajapaksa says that the war against terrorism was won by his government without the backing of world powers and without the billions that have been poured into the effort in other countries”, if further states.

“He is a people’s president,” the paper quotes Rajendera Saboo, one of the speakers at this South Asian event.

Certainly Colombo is less paranoid about security. The police pickets are less. President Rajapaksa moves around with a security detail of not more than five cars-much less than Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik. There are no cumbersome security procedures as one enters hotels. The Presidential Residence on Galle Face road may have a number of guards all round, but no road is blocked and no one is inconvenienced, the paper adds.

It further says, “It is clear, however, that the security forces in Sri Lanka are better trained and equipped than Pakistan-an irony given that it was Pakistan that first trained and helped them. After twenty years of conflict, what we see is a force that had defeated one of the most efficient terrorist outfits in the world and brought peace to the land”.

“All motorcycle riders now wear helmets in Sri Lanka. There is a fine imposed for jaywalking. More recently, there is a law that forbids giving licences to pharmacies that have not installed air-conditioning or fridges. Universal education is prevalent. The number of women in the workforce equals that of men. And the list is endless.
Meanwhile, for Pakistanis–thousands of whom have been able to see again due to generous eye donations by the Sri Lankans panning over several decades–one can only wish that along with the eyes came long-term vision. A feat that continues to be missing from Pakistan, despite the best intentions of all concerned”, The Express Tribune states.

Article is found at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/246022/reconciliation-and-reconstruction-sri-lanka-becomes-a-beacon-for-pakistan/