COLOMBO – Visiting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday (24) re-affirmed Pakistan’s steadfast support to Sri Lanka in future, assuring close cooperation between the two countries in the multilateral fora.
Khan made the re-affirmation when he met with the Sri Lankan President, GotabayaRajapaksa, at the President House in Colombo on Wednesday for a one-on-one meeting, which was followed by delegation-level talks.
A statement from the Pakistan High Commission in Colombo said the talks were held in a warm and cordial atmosphere.
It said the visiting prime minister had underlined the exceptional quality of Pakistan-Sri Lanka relations marked by trust, understanding and mutual support, and emphasized the importance of building robust economic partnership characterized by enhanced bilateral trade, investments, and commercial cooperation.
Khan, the statement said, had also laid emphasis on deeper collaboration in diverse fields —particularly agriculture, tourism, science & technology, sports, education and culture, while stressing on the importance of sharing experiences in poverty alleviation.
He had also underlined that Pakistan and Sri Lanka had always stood by each other, and re-affirmed Pakistan’s steadfast support to Sri Lanka in future and close cooperation between the two countries in the multilateral fora.
Imran Khan, who concluded his State visit and left for Pakistan late Wednesday afternoon, had also noted the close traditional and cultural ties between the two countries, and said that Pakistan has the potential of being a choice destination for religious tourism for Sri Lankan people. He had particularly highlighted the rich Buddhist heritage of Pakistan.
In the regional context, Khan, the statement said, shared his vision of peace, development, and connectivity, while emphasizing the importance of regional cooperation through the platform of SAARC and the opportunities for regional prosperity through CPEC, the flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
The Prime Minister Khan had had also extended a cordial invitation to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to visit Pakistan at the earliest convenience.
-ENCL