Sri Lanka's Minister of Public Enterprise Development Kabir Hashim was forced to cancel an official trip to Qatar after the Qatar embassy in Colombo failed to provide the visa on time, sources close to the Minister’s office said.
They said the Minister had been invited by the Qatari Minister of Finance for an oration by the latter with the event to be held on Sunday March 12. However after submitting the visa application on Monday March 6, the Minister was yet to receive approval by Friday with his flight scheduled on the same night.
The sources said that when the Minister called the embassy on Friday and asked to speak to the Ambassador, the latter hadn’t come to the phone. Qatar embassy officials were not immediately contactable for clarification.
The Minister then cancelled his trip and by Monday March 13 was yet to receive passport his passport from the embassy. Mr. Hasim was the Minister in attendance to the ruler of Qatar on his last state visit to Colombo. – ENDS -
A Sri Lanka Air Force Bell 212 helicopter belonging to the No. 72 squadron has crashed into the Madhuru Oya reservoir this morning, Air FOrce Media Spokesman Eranda Geeganage said.
Read this week’s Sunday Times for your interesting articles including the ’’5th Column’’.
In its first electoral test since taking power, the ruling National People’s Power (NPP) fell short of expectations, winning only around 40 % of the national vote in Tuesday’s local government election and falling short of enough seats to gain control of the majority of councils.
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