PM Imran calls Sri Lanka 'special friend, strong partner'

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday called Sri Lanka a "special friend and Partner" of Pakistan after he concluded his two-day visit to the Island nation. Taking to Twitter, the premier paid his heartfelt gratitude to his Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa for the gracious hospitality and warm welcome and agreed that the cooperative ties between the two nations are poised to grow and strengthen.

"Thank you Prime Minister @PresRajapaksa and the people of Sri Lanka for a warm welcome and gracious hospitality," he said, adding that Sri Lanka is a special friend and strong partner of Pakistan.

In a Joint Communiqué, issued in Colombo, on the conclusion of Prime Minister Imran Khan's visit to Sri Lanka, the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to regional peace, security, and stability. Both countries reiterated their commitment to the principles and objectives of the SAARC Charter and stressed the need for SAARC Member countries to build on convergence, for the greater good of the people in the region. PM Imran underscored the need for peaceful resolution of outstanding disputes through constructive dialogue in accordance with international legitimacy. In the context of regional connectivity, Imran Khan highlighted the opportunities presented by China-Pakistan Economic Corridor for regional economic growth and prosperity and invited Sri Lanka to join it.

To realize the goal of achieving a one billion dollar bilateral trade target and to work to broaden and deepen the Pakistan-Sri Lank Free Trade Agreement, the two sides reached a broad consensus on ways and means to further strengthen cooperation in diverse fields. The Pakistan side announced 100 scholarships in the field of medicine (MBBS and BDS) for the Sri Lankan students.

They also agreed to enhance cooperation in tourism and share expertise in the hospitality industry. They expressed satisfaction over the existing bilateral cooperation in the field of defence and noted that the elevation of staff-level talks to Defence Dialogue has further provided an opportunity to expand security sector ties. During the visit, five Memorandums of Understanding were signed between the two countries. PM Imran Khan also extended an invitation to the President and the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka to visit Pakistan.