Three-day visit: Premier Nawaz leaves for Sri Lanka today

Several trade agreements are likely to be signed by both sides

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will leave for Sri Lanka today on a three-day visit where he is expected to oversee signing of several bilateral agreements in different sectors.

The premier will be accompanied by Commerce Minister Khurram Dastgir, Defence Production Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain, PM’s Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi and National Security Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Nasir Janjua among other senior government officials.



Premier Nawaz, who has been invited by Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, is likely to meet distinguished parliamentarians, religious leaders and businessmen during the visit. He will also address a gathering of ministers, parliamentarians, senior officials, top traders and members of the diplomatic corps.

The Pakistani and Sri Lankan premiers will also hold official talks at a state banquet and sign a number of cooperation agreements in various fields afterwards. Bilateral agreements in the sectors of health, science and technology, trade, statistics, gems and jewellery, culture, money laundering and terrorism financing are to be signed during his visit. Many more business pacts, including some on deep-sea fishing, cement, power, education and food, are likely to be agreed.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka enjoy friendly and cordial ties since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1948. Being members of Saarc and Commonwealth, both the countries coordinate with each other on issues of common interest, and regional and international concerns.



Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe, who will welcome his Pakistani counterpart and his entourage at the Bandaranaike International Airport, has also arranged a lunch in his honour. The official welcoming ceremony presided by the Sri Lankan president will be held on January 5 at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 4^th, 2016.