DNA

Islamabad: During a seminar organized by the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS) in Islamabad, Admiral (R) Ravindra C Wijegunaratne, the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Pakistan, expressed Sri Lanka’s strong commitment to expanding cooperation with Pakistan across diverse areas; including trade, investment, defense, tourism, education, and fostering closer people-to-people contacts.

Reflecting on the historical ties between the two nations, Admiral Wijegunaratne emphasized both countries’ unwavering support to each other during challenging periods. He specially expressed gratitude for Pakistan’s assistance in addressing terrorism in Sri Lanka. Admiral Wijegunaratne expressed optimism for sustained mutual support between the two countries in future as well and underlined the significance of collaborating on regional and global issues where both countries have shared perceptions.

Highlighting Sri Lanka’s importance as a major international shipping hub, High Commissioner Wijegunaratne, identified untapped areas of potential cooperation that could be leveraged through effective implementation of the existing free trade agreement. He also expressed Sri Lanka’s desire to enhance tourism between the two countries given the very many Buddhist sites in Pakistan. The significance of upcoming Seventh Round of Bilateral Political Consultations between Sri Lanka and Pakistan was also touched upon by the High Commissioner. 

In his remarks on the occasion, President IRS, Ambassador Jauhar Saleem appreciated Sri Lanka’s donation of 88,000 eye corneas to the world, with a notable 36,000 sent to Pakistan which demonstrated the depth of the relationship between the two nations. He also highlighted the long-standing multifaceted friendship between the two countries marked by unconditional support during both peace and conflicts.  Echoing Admiral Wijegunaratne’s sentiments on the significance of the upcoming foreign secretary-level consultation, he expressed confidence that it would pave the way for enhanced cooperation, particularly in the area of trade and investment.

Addressing the gathering, Amb. Seema Ilahi Baloch, former High Commissioner of Pakistan to Sri Lanka, emphasized the need to strengthen people-to-people connections. She also called for drawing insights from Sri Lanka’s expertise in tourism and hospitality. Major Gen (r) Saad Khattak, former High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, stressed the significance of strengthening collaboration between the two countries beyond the strategic and security areas. 

Dr. Shaheen Akhtar, professor at NDU, emphasized upon the level of trust and cordiality existing between the two countries since independence. Mr. Ilyas Mehmood Nizami, Director General for South Asia at MoFA, called for leveraging the high level of bilateral goodwill and understanding to maximize cooperation in trade, education, religious tourism, as well as defense and counterterrorism.

The event attracted a diverse and large audience, including diplomats, researchers, academics, and students.