Pakistan, Sri Lanka face similar challenges: PM Imran

PM Imran Khan arrived in Sri Lanka's capital Colombo on a two-day official visit

COLOMBO (Dunya News) - Prime Minister Imran Khan said Pakistan and Sri Lanka share common problems including terrorism as both the countries have suffered a lot due to this menace. He said Pakistan faced a worst kind of terrorism for ten years and lost around 70,000 people.

Addressing the joint presser, along with his Sri Lankan Counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa in Colombo, he said Pakistan is part of Belt and Road Initiative of China and CPEC is the flagship project of this programme, which offers great opportunities of connectivity and trade.

Prime Minister Imran Khan emphasized on finding ways and means to enhance trade and connectivity through China-Pakistan Economic Corridor right up to Central Asia for Sri Lanka.

Imran Khan said we discussed areas where we can enhance trading ties between Pakistan and Sri Lanka and the latter can get maximum benefit from the connectivity being offered by the former.

Imran Khan said Pakistan played its part in helping Sri Lanka to curb terrorism from its soil, which was impeding development, growth, and the tourism. He said no country can progress if there is terrorism.

He said now the two countries, along with other nations of the world, are facing another problem of Coronavirus. He said the Covid-19 pandemic hit the poor countries the most and they should be entitled to get debt relief from the richer nations.

Inviting the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka to visit Pakistan, Imran Khan said his country has the greatest Buddhist heritage sites and we recently discovered a 40-feet long sleeping Buddha. He said the Northern Areas of Pakistan was center of ancient Gandahara civilization in the region. He also invited people from Sri Lanka to visit Pakistan as it is planning for a Buddhist trail to attract the Buddhist community from all over the world.

Imran Khan also thanked his Sri Lankan Counterpart for according a warm welcome to him and his delegation.

Speaking on the occasion, Mahinda Rajapaksa said we have agreed to enhance bilateral ties in the fields of economy, trade, investment, education, defence, tourism, aviation and other sectors. He said framework for Pakistan-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement and enhancing parliamentary interactions between the two countries were also discussed.

Mahinda Rajapaksa said we have agreed to work together to fight terrorism and armed struggle through sharing of information. He said political stability and regional peace will be a key to achieve a sustainable development, economic growth and prosperity in South Asia.

He also acknowledged Pakistan s support to curb terrorism from Sri Lankan soil and thanked Islamabad for its cooperation in the realm of sports.

Mahinda Rajapaksa thanked Prime Minister Imran Khan for visiting Sri Lanka on his invitation.

Earlier Prime Minister Imran Khan and his Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa held a one-on-one meeting in Colombo and discussed issues of bilateral and regional importance.

The two leaders affirmed resolve to strengthen relations in diverse areas in a meeting held at Temple Tree – the office of Sri Lanka Prime Minister.

The two sides focused on strengthening ties in areas of trade and investment, health and education, agriculture and science & technology, security, culture and tourism.

Earlier Prime Minister Imran Khan arrived in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo on a two-day official visit. 

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa received Prime Minister Imran Khan at the Bandaranaike International Airport.

The Prime Minister was given guard of honour by the contingent of Sri Lankan forces and a gun salute at a special welcome reception ceremony held at the airport.

A red carpet was rolled out for Prime Minister Imran Khan and national anthems of the two countries were played on the occasion. Cultural troupe attired in traditional dresses presented a welcome dance.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Commerce Adviser Abdul Razzak Dawood and Special Assistant Syed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari.

Prime Minister Imran Khan is the first Head of Government to visit Sri Lanka after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa assumed office last year, which is reflective of the importance both countries attach to this important relationship.

Prime Minister Imran Khan is undertaking the visit to the island nation on the invitation of his Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Besides meeting the Sri Lankan top leadership, Imran Khan will also lead the delegation-level talks, covering all areas of cooperation between the two countries, including trade and investment, health and education, agriculture and science & technology, defence and security, and culture and tourism.

The Foreign Office said the reconstitution of the Sri Lanka-Pakistan Parliamentary Friendship Association will also be announced during the visit to further promote parliamentary exchanges between the two countries.

The Prime Minister will participate in a joint ‘Trade and Investment Conference’ aimed at promoting trade and investment between the two countries. A number of memorandums of understanding to enhance bilateral cooperation will be signed during the visit.

The prime minister’s visit would help further strengthen the Pakistan-Sri Lanka relationship and enhance mutual cooperation in diverse fields, the FO concluded.

A Sri Lankan foreign ministry statement said the visit would feature “a business and investment forum, as well as a sports diplomacy initiative”.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka have maintained close, cordial and mutually supportive relations since 1948. The two countries share commonality of views on a wide range of international and regional issues. Both the sides also work closely at the international and regional fora, including the United Nations and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).