Sri Lankan delegation calls on Rehman Malik

Islamabad: Headed by the President Sight Foundation of Sri Lanka Iftikhar Aziz, a delegation comprising of Idris Udmani, Faisal Latif and Rizwi Ismail accompanied by Noor Deen Shahied Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Pakistan calls on Senator Rehman Malik on Tuesday at his camp office in Islamabad .

The delegation briefed Senator A. Rehman Malik about the Sight Foundation donation of eyes’ cornea to Pakistani corneal blinded people. Iftekhar Aziz told that he is the President of Sri Lanka-Pakistan Friendship Association which was established 64 years ago and stands as one of the oldest Friendship Associations between two countries.

He said that Pakistan Friendship Association has positioned itself as a constructive platform, dedicated to bolster the bilateral relationship between the two sides. He said that so far the Sight foundation has donated 25,000 eyes cornea to the people of Pakistan and will be enhancing the numbers further. He emphasised that at the first hand the donated corneas may be provided to the Government Hospitals where poor people go for the medical treatment.

In a joint media briefing followed by the meeting, Noor Deen Shahied Sri Lankan High Commissioner termed the donation of Cornea as a gesture of goodwill for the people of Pakistan. He assured the people of Pakistan for constant support from Sri Lankan Sight Foundation to help reducing the corneal blindness in Pakistan. He affirmed his commitment to the noble cause and hoped for the extension of the cooperation in similar fields to assure the availability of the cornea.

Senator A. Rehman Malik welcomed, highly appreciated and thanked Iftikhar Aziz for the sacred job of donating the corneas to the people of Pakistan to restore their eye sight. He said that he was glad to know that Sri Lankan Sight Foundation is helping the poor people in Pakistan and that with restoration of their eye sight. He added that by such extraordinary revered efforts by Sri Lankan foundation will further boost and strengthen the brotherly relations between the two countries.

He said that there are around 200,000 people in Pakistan who are suffering from corneal blindness and these people can have a perfectly normal life if their damaged corneas are replaced with healthy ones. He said that he was glad to know that Sri Lanka is the leading donor country of Eyes cornea to Pakistan which has donated around 25,000 corneas to Pakistan till to date.

He said that he extends full cooperation and all kind of support to the Sight Foundation of Sri Lanka that all of 200,000 corneal blind Pakistanis can have normal life by replacing their cornea. He said that he will be supporting the Sight Foundation on all fronts if it opens “Eye Hospital” in Pakistan as they proposed in their meeting where poor and deserving patients could be treated free of cost. Senator Malik payed his gratitude to the Sight Foundation for considering him as their Ambassador for Pakistan.

Senator A. Rehman Malik highly appreciated Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Pakistan Noor Deen Shahied and said that he is true friend of Pakistan and we value his such gesture of gratitude.