Colombo, Feb 17 /DNA/: Pakistan’s Federal Interior Minister and PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi held a significant meeting with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Colombo, with Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Chaudhry Salik Hussain also in attendance. Pakistani High Commissioner Major General (Retd) Fahim-ul-Azeez was present as well.
During the discussions, Minister Naqvi highlighted the visa-related challenges faced by Pakistani nationals traveling to Sri Lanka. President Dissanayake took immediate notice of the matter and directed authorities to remove Pakistan from all relevant restriction lists without delay, signaling a swift resolution to ease travel for Pakistanis.
The Sri Lankan President further announced that he would soon send Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister on an official visit to Pakistan to strengthen bilateral ties.
The meeting covered a range of cooperative areas, including counter-terrorism efforts, anti-narcotics operations, and joint training programs for security forces. Minister Naqvi commended President Dissanayake’s personal role in advancing Pakistan-Sri Lanka relations and conveyed a formal invitation from Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif for the Sri Lankan President to undertake an official visit to Pakistan.
Naqvi also expressed gratitude for the excellent arrangements and warm hospitality extended to the Pakistani delegation and cricket team during the T20 World Cup. He specifically thanked the Sri Lankan leadership for their timely intervention that enabled the India-Pakistan match to proceed in Colombo, describing it as a reflection of Pakistan’s goodwill.
President Dissanayake reiterated his commitment to further consolidating relations between the two nations and appreciated Pakistan’s consistent support for Sri Lanka during challenging periods.The visit underscores deepening bilateral cooperation in security, diplomacy, and people-to-people contacts, building on the longstanding friendship between Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
