Pakistan offers 1000 fully-funded scholarships to SL students

Wednesday, 26 February 2020 01:15 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa greets High Commissioner of Pakistan to Sri Lanka Maj. Gen. (Rtd.) Muhammad Saad Khattak

During the call on Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on Monday, High Commissioner of Pakistan to Sri Lanka Maj. Gen. (Rtd.) Muhammad Saad Khattak informed the Prime Minister that Pakistan is offering 1,000 fully-funded scholarships to Sri Lankan students under the Allama Iqbal Scholarships program.

The final deadline for submitting applications is Saturday February 29 2020. Students can visit the High Commission website for more information: http://www.pakistanhc.lk/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/ADVERTISEMENT.pdf.

The scholarships, being offered under the Pak-Sri Lanka Higher Education Cooperation Program, allow students to pursue undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral degree programs in a vast array of fields such as engineering, medicine, information technology, the natural sciences, and social sciences.

While thanking the High Commission for the opportunities offered to Sri Lankan students, the Prime Minister also thanked Pakistan for the long-term support provided to Sri Lanka, including during the war. Regarding counterterrorism, the High Commissioner said, “We are fully prepared to cooperate.”

Noting the already-strong ties in the defence sector, and strong people-to-people relations, both sides agreed to work towards further enhancing trade relations. The High Commissioner said Pakistan is particularly interested in taking more Sri Lankan goods to the Pakistani market.

Pakistan is the second largest trading partner of Sri Lanka in the SAARC region, and bilateral trade in 2018 stood at $ 509.14 million. The top export products to Pakistan that year were betel leaves, coconuts, wood charcoal, natural rubber, labels and batches, and cloves.

The two delegations also discussed cooperation within the SAARC region and the benefits of strengthening the regional organisation. On cooperation in multi-lateral fora, the High Commissioner said, “We always stood by you, and we will continue to always stand with you.”