PM Imran invites newly-elected Sri Lankan president to visit Pakistan

Premier congratulates Gotabaya Rajapaksa on his election as 7th president of Sri Lanka

Prime Minister Imran Khan extended a cordial invitation to Gotabaya Rajapaksa – the newly-elected President of Sri Lanka – to visit Pakistan at his earliest convenience, which the latter duly accepted on Tuesday.

The premier telephoned Rajapaksa to felicitate him on his election as the 7th President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, according to an official statement issued in Islamabad.

The election win reflected the trust reposed by the Sri Lankan people in the leadership and vision of President Rajapaksa, said the prime minister and hoped that the country and its people would achieve greater success and prosperity under his stewardship.

Pakistan-Sri Lanka bilateral relations were also discussed during the conversation, in which the two leaders reciprocated each other’s desire to further fortify bilateral cooperation in diverse areas, said the statement.

Rajapaksa's victory a setback for India but good for Pakistan

Gotabaya Rajapaksa was the Sri Lanka’s all powerful defence secretary when his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa was the country’s President between 2005 to 2015.

The Rajapaksa brothers were credited with defeating the 26-year long Tamil insurgency in 2009. The incoming Sri Lankan president as well as the then defence secretary worked closely with Pakistan, which played a key role in helping Colombo defeat the Tamil insurgency backed by India.

That was the reason Pakistan didn’t even wait for the official results to congratulate the new Sri Lankan president.

PM Imran, President Arif Alvi and the Foreign Office issued separate statements of felicitations and President Rajapaksa took no time in responding to the welcoming gesture on Twitter.

I thank PM @ImranKhanPTI and people of Pakistan for your warm wishes. I look forward to further enhancing the already warm relations with Pakistan & will endeavour to encourage peaceful and harmonious coexistence and economic progress in the SAARC region https://t.co/O8P4WIzGMW

— Gotabaya Rajapaksa (@GotabayaR) November 18, 2019

I thank Your Excellency @ArifAlvi and people of Pakistan for your warm wishes. I look forward to building closer ties and understanding between our two nations and the region as a whole. https://t.co/jV9kkOouiW

— Gotabaya Rajapaksa (@GotabayaR) November 17, 2019