Sharif in town next week

Thursday, 31 December 2015 00:09 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will arrive in Sri Lanka on 4 January following an invitation extended by President Maithripala Sirisena during his first visit to Pakistan in April.

During Premier Sharif’s visit, Sri Lanka and Pakistan will sign several key agreements including a pact on combating money laundering and terrorism financing. The three-day official state visit of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is planned, in furtherance to take bilateral trade and investment to new heights.

Besides a pact on combating money laundering and terrorism financing, the two countries will sign several memorandum of understandings (MoUs) and pacts covering a range of key areas aimed at improving bilateral cooperation, covering a range of issues such as youth development, health, culture, exchange of census data and scientific and technological cooperation

The Cabinet of Ministers gave approval for signing the pacts on 23 December.

Premier Sharif’s visit to Sri Lanka would be a testimony to the strong bonds of friendship between the two countries.

This will be Sharif’s first visit to Sri Lanka since President Maithripala Sirisena took office a year ago. Sharif last visited the island nation in November 2013 for the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting which was held in Colombo.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka enjoy friendly and cordial relations. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1948.

Being members of both SAARC and the Commonwealth, Pakistan and Sri Lanka cooperate closely and coordinate with each other on regional and international issues.