Stabilising island nation: Sri Lankan leaders all praise for Pakistan

Gen Raheel meets top civil and military leadership in Colombo.

ISLAMABAD:

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has acknowledged that Pakistan had played a ‘substantial’ role in helping consolidate the integrity of the island nation which had been wracked by a deadly Tamil insurgency until it was put out in 2009.

In a meeting with army chief General Raheel Sharif on Monday in Colombo, Sirisena also thanked the people and armed forces of Pakistan for their ‘unwavering support’ in their fight against terrorism and patterning them in region and bilateral security.

Sirisena termed Gen Raheel’s visit very significant to strengthening the existing strong relationship between both the militaries, the military’s media wing, the ISPR, said in a statement.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka have enjoyed strong defence and security ties. Islamabad’s support was seen as crucial to help Colombo defeat the prolonged insurgency by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam.

The acknowledgement of Pakistan’s support by the Sri Lankan leader is believed to be the most significant outcome of Gen Raheel’s visit given Sirisena’s apparent tilt towards India.

According to the ISPR statement, the Sri Lankan president appreciated Pakistan Army’s ‘momentous achievements’ in the ongoing Operation Zarb-e-Azb and sacrifices for regional peace and stability.

The army chief expressed his appreciation for Sri Lankan government, people and security forces in fighting menace of terrorism and progress made thereafter.



Gen Raheel also held separate meetings with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Dinendra Ruwan Wijewardene, State Minister for Defence and BMUD Basnayake, Secretary of Defence, General J Jayasuriya, Chief of Defence Services Sri Lanka Armed Forces and Air Marshall KA Gunatilleke, Commander Sri Lanka Air Force.

“During these meetings Sri Lankan civil and military leadership vowed to enhance cooperation in multiple areas related to defence and security, including training exchanges in higher security studies, peacekeeping operations, relief and disaster operations,” the ISPR statement added.


Published in The Express Tribune, June 9^th, 2015.