ISLAMABAD – Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Monday briefed his SriLankan counterpart Dinesh Gunawardena on the dire situation and humanrights crisis in Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK), said Foreign officespokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal.
The FO spokesperson said Qureshi told the Sri Lankan foreign minister thatthe 120-day plus lockdown remains a “cause of serious concern” for theinternational community. During the meeting the two ministers discussedtrade, investment, tourism and people to people contacts. The spokespersonsaid: “Both countries [are] very keen to further deepen and strengthen theentire gamut of bilateral relations.”
Foreign Minister Qureshi is on a two-day official visit to Sri Lanka and isthe first Pakistani official to visit the country after its elections.
The minister invited Gunawardena to visit Pakistan with a delegation fromthe Sri Lankan business community to boost bilateral trade and investmentbetween the two countries.
Pakistan extends invitation to new Sri Lankan president
The foreign minister also met the recently elected Sri Lankan PresidentGotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. Foreign Officespokesperson Dr Faisal said that Foreign Minister Qureshi also handed overan invitation from President Arif Alvi to the newly-elected Sri LankanPresident Gotabaya Rajapaksa to visit the country
In a tweet Faisal said Qureshi and the Sri Lankan President discussedbilateral issues, trade, investment and people to people contacts. The FOspokesperson said: “FM handed over a letter from President to President ofSri Lanka and invited him to visit Pakistan at his earliest convenience.”
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The spokesperson said: “Both countries [are] very keen to further deepenand strengthen the entire gamut of bilateral relations.”
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Qureshi termed his meeting withthe Sri Lankan foreign minister as “excellent” and extended an invitationto Gunawardena to visit Islamabad.
“During the presidency of Mahinda Rajapaksa, the ties between our countrieswere at a high level. Both our countries have always enjoyed excellentrelations, and we have always helped each other,” he told reporters soonafter his arrival, referring to the elder Rajapaksa brother.
In a meeting, the top diplomat discussed with the president matters relatedto bilateral relations and regional issues, a statement from Pakistan’sForeign Ministry said.
