Sri Lanka removes Pakistan from negative visa lists after Naqvi meeting

Sri Lankan president announces that his country’s prime minister would soon visit Pakistan

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has ordered the immediate removal of Pakistan from all “negative” visa lists after a meeting with Federal Interior Minister and PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi.

The development is being viewed as a significant step towards easing travel concerns for Pakistani citizens and strengthening bilateral ties.

During the meeting, Naqvi raised the issue of visa difficulties faced by Pakistani nationals. Taking prompt notice, President Dissanayake directed authorities to remove Pakistan from all negative visa categories, providing relief to Pakistani travellers and the business community.

Met with Pakistan’s Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi and Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain today. We reaffirmed our enduring friendship, appreciated Pakistan’s support to Sri Lanka during difficult times. The visiting Pakistan delegation conveyed special thanks from… pic.twitter.com/v2wcIvlzJZ

— Anura Kumara Dissanayake (@anuradisanayake) February 16, 2026

The Sri Lankan president also announced that his country’s prime minister would soon visit Pakistan.

Read: India-Pakistan: Hottest ticket in cricket sparks T20 World Cup fever

Discussions during the meeting covered cooperation in counter-terrorism, anti-narcotics efforts and joint training of security forces.

President Dissanayake expressed appreciation for Pakistan’s support to Sri Lanka during difficult times and thanked Islamabad for agreeing to play a T20 World Cup match against India in Colombo, terming it a gesture of goodwill.

In a post on his X handle, he said he met Naqvi and Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Chaudhry Salik Hussain, adding that both sides reaffirmed their enduring friendship. Naqvi praised the Sri Lankan president’s role in promoting Pakistan–Sri Lanka relations and conveyed an invitation from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to visit Pakistan.

He also thanked the Sri Lankan leadership for the arrangements and hospitality extended to the Pakistani delegation during the T20 World Cup.