Pakistan PM Imran Khan visits Sri Lanka to boost trade ties
Pakistan and Sri Lanka agreed to further strengthen bilateral relations particularly trade ties and improve connectivity during Prime Minister Imran Khan’s two-day (February 23-24) visit.
PM Imran Khan held extensive consultations with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa in Colombo with a focus on forging a strong partnership between Pakistan and Sri Lanka to advance the shared objectives of peace, stability and economic prosperity in South Asia.
The two leaders reaffirmed their resolve to work together in diverse areas and explore the vast potential for mutually beneficial collaboration in the areas of trade and investment, security and defence cooperation, IT and human resource development, agriculture and science and technology, and culture and tourism.
This is Pakistani prmeier’s first visit to Sri Lanka after assuming the office of prime minister.
“My visit is aimed at strengthening bilateral relationship [with Sri Lanka] especially the trade and economic ties through enhanced connectivity” PM Imran Khan while addressing a joint press conference with his Sri Lanka counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa here one-on-one and delegation talks.
All-weather friends
Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said the visit “symbolizes the deep affinity” shared by the people of Pakistan and Sri Lanka. He also the ties and “deep bilateral cooperation” between the two countries has transformed into an “all-weather friendship that has withstood the test of time.”
PM Rajapaksa sent out a tweet in Urdu saying: “I warmly welcome Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan and hope that the visit will bring the two countries closer.”
Appreciating the move that Pakistan’s PM visited Sri Lanka with a strong business delegation, PM Rajapaksa said there are “promising signs of investments and commercial partnerships” that will greatly benefit both our economies at a time of economic uncertainty.
Fight terrorism together
Sri Lankan premier also vowed that the two countries “will continue to work together to fight terrorism, religious fundamentalism and extremism.” The two sides also agreed to continue the current mechanism to curb illegal drug trafficking, arms smuggling and other illegal activities by sharing information through the relevant agencies.
Agreements signed
Pakistan and Sri Lanka’s leaders also witnessed the signing of five memorandums of understanding (MOUs) for enhanced bilateral cooperation in the fields of investment, science and technology, and industrial technology.
PM Imran Khan is accompanied by a high-powered business delegation and key ministers including Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Commerce Adviser Abdul Razzak Dawood and Special Assistant Syed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari. Khan will also participate in a joint Trade and Investment Conference to promote trade and investment between the two countries.
Tourism and Buddhist heritage sites
PM Imran Khan invited the people of Sri Lanka to visit Pakistan which is home to sacred heritage sites and the ancient civilizations of Gandhara and Budhism.
“Together we will work on increasing the number of tourists between Pakistan and Sri Lanka and developing Buddhist heritage sites,” said National Tourism Coordination Board (NTCB) Chairman Sayed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari who signed the tourism MoU in Colombo.