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Thursday, 25 February 2021 02:37 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan speaking with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and visiting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan held wide-ranging talks yesterday including strengthening bilateral relations and affirming close cooperation between the two countries in multilateral fora as well as regional collaboration.
The formal meeting between the Pakistan Prime Minister, who is on a two-day official visit to Sri Lanka, and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa took place at the Presidential Secretariat last morning, the President’s Media Division said in a statement.
Upon his arrival at the venue, the Pakistani Premier was received by Secretary to the President Dr. P.B. Jayasundera and Foreign Secretary Prof. Jayanath Colombage.
“The Prime Minister underlined that Pakistan and Sri Lanka had always stood by each other. He re-affirmed Pakistan’s steadfast support to Sri Lanka in future. The close cooperation between the two sides in the multilateral fora was re-affirmed,” the Pakistan High Commission said in a statement.
The President and the Pakistani Prime Minister engaged in a lengthy discussion on improving bilateral relations. The visiting leader was of the view that the dialogue was very fruitful. The two leaders exchanged views on sharing technical knowhow in order to promote agriculture in both the countries.
The two leaders stated that it is their objective to develop the agricultural economy while ensuring higher revenue for the farmer and fair price for the consumer. The agricultural economy in Pakistan is quite similar to that of Sri Lanka, the Pakistan Prime Minister observed.
Pakistan is a main player in the export sector of Sri Lanka. President and the Prime Minister paid attention to the steps that need to be taken to promote trade and expansion of investment opportunities between the two countries.
Inviting Pakistani people to visit Sri Lanka with the COVID-19 pandemic subsiding, President shared his views on the measures to be taken to develop tourism sectors in both the countries. Two leaders also focused on several areas of mutual interest including sharing technical knowledge.
Prime Minister Imran Khan underlined the exceptional quality of Pakistan-Sri Lanka relations marked by trust, understanding and mutual support. The Prime Minister emphasised the importance of building robust economic partnership characterised by enhanced bilateral trade, investments, and commercial cooperation, the Pakistan High Commission in Colombo said in a statement.
The Prime Minister also laid emphasis on deeper collaboration in diverse fields – particularly agriculture, tourism, science and technology, sports, education and culture. The importance of sharing experiences in poverty alleviation was stressed.
While noting the close traditional and cultural ties between the two countries, Prime Minister Imran Khan highlighted that Pakistan has the potential of being a choice destination for religious tourism for Sri Lankan people. He particularly highlighted the rich Buddhist heritage of Pakistan.
In the regional context, Prime Minister Imran Khan shared his vision of peace, development, and connectivity.
Prime Minister Imran Khan also emphasised 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 extended a cordial invitation to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to visit Pakistan at the earliest convenience.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Adviser to Prime Minister for Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood, Special Assistant on Overseas Pakistanis Zulfiqar Hussain Bukhari, Pakistan Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood, High Commissioner of Pakistan to Sri Lanka Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Muhammad Saad Khattak, Sri Lanka Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Minister in Attendance Ali Sabri, Secretary to the President P.B. Jayasundera, Principal Advisor to the President Lalith Weeratunga and Foreign Secretary Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage participated in the bilateral discussion.
