Lahore  : The fifth South Asian Business Leaders Conclave (SBLC) will be inaugurated by Indian Commerce Minister Anand Sharma on Thursday, the 16th January 2104 in New Delhi, India. Engr Khurram Dastagir, State Minister for Commerce and Textiles, who will lead the Pakistani delegation, will address the Ministerial Round along with his counterparts from other South Asian countries. “The SBLC, which has been graduated to Economic Davos of South Asia is a biennial event of SAARC Chamber (SAAC CCI) which is addressed by eminent personalities, business leaders and policy makers from across the region,” stated press release issued by SAARC CCI Secretary General, Iqbal Tabish.

The 5th edition of the Conclave is being organised in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) in partnership with Friedrich Naumann Foundation: regional directorate, New Delhi.
About 300 delegates from across South Asia are expected to participate in the Conclave which is being organised under the theme “South Asian Century: Progressing towards Regional Integration” while focusing on important contemporary and emerging issues. The inaugural session will be followed by Ministerial Round “Taking Stock of the South Asian Economic Integration Process” wherein Commerce/Economic Affairs Ministers from Afghanistan, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will share their vision to foster regional integration process in South Asia. In addition to five sessions on important issues like energy cooperation, entrepreneurial development, South Asia in 21st Century etc’ the Conclave also includes dedicated session on Youth.
In addition to Indian Commerce Minister, the inaugural session will be addressed by Ahmed Saleem, Secretary General, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, Vikramjit Singh Sahney, President SAARC CCI, Sidharath Birla, President FICCI and Siegfried Herzog, Regional Director, FNF.
Tariq Sayeed, founder and former president SAARC CCI along with Iftikhar Ali Malik, Vice President SAARC CCI (Pakistan), Zubair Ahmed Malik, President FPCCI will lead 65-member delegation, the largest from other South Asian countries. Annisul Huq, immediate former President of SAARC CCI will accompany 15-member business delegation from Bangladesh. Thinly Palden Dorji, Pradeep Kumar Shestha and Kosala Wikramanayake will lead delegation from Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka respectively. Pakistan delegation will depart on 15th January from Lahore.