News
Pakistan Premier to address many areas of interest, but not Parliament
By Sandun Jayawardana
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan will arrive in the country on Tuesday (23) for a two-day official visit amid accusations from the Opposition that the Government unilaterally scrapped plans for the visiting Premier to address Parliament.
Arrangements for Mr Khan to address Parliament were discussed during the party leaders’ meeting held on February 8, Chief Opposition Whip and Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Lakshman Kiriella told the Sunday Times. “It was the Government that spoke about the plans. Those of us in the Opposition too were very happy and were looking forward to the address. This week, however, (Leader of the House) Dinesh Gunawardena told us it was off. When we asked why, we were told it was because of the COVID situation, which sounded like a lame excuse,” Mr Kiriella said.
Party leaders in the Opposition had informed Mr Gunawardena that it should be recorded that the decision to scrap the address was a Government decision, Mr Kiriella added.
The MP said the matter reflected badly on the country given that Pakistan has been a longstanding ally of Sri Lanka. “I know from personal experience as deputy foreign minister under Lakshman Kadirgamar how Pakistan helped the country during critical moments in the war,” he noted.
A Parliament official meanwhile, said they were under the impression that the address could not be accommodated due to the Pakistani PM’s packed schedule while in the country.
Repeated attempts to contact Leader of the House Dinesh Gunawardena and Chief Government Whip Johnston Fernando failed, while the Pakistan High Commission in Colombo declined to comment on the matter.
Issuing a media release separately, the Pakistan High Commission stated that the Prime Minister will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including members of the Cabinet and senior officials.
Aside from holding talks with Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Mr Khan will also lead the delegation-level talks, covering all areas of cooperation between the two countries including trade and investment, health and education, agriculture, science and technology, defence and security, and culture and tourism. Besides bilateral matters, views will be exchanged on key regional and international issues, the high commission added.
During the visit, the reconstitution of the Sri Lanka-Pakistan Parliamentary Friendship Association will be also announced to further promote parliamentary exchanges between the two countries.
The Pakistani PM is expected to arrive in the country on Tuesday evening. He will be greeted on arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. Premier Khan will be accorded a Guard of Honour at the airport.
Mr Khan will hold bilateral talks with PM Rajapaksa later that evening at Temple Trees. The two PMs will make a joint statement to the media after their meeting.
Prime Minister Khan is to hold talks with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat on Wednesday morning. He will thereafter participate in a joint ‘Trade and Investment Conference’ at the Shangri-La hotel aimed at promoting trade and investment between the two countries. A number of Memorandums of Understanding to enhance bilateral cooperation will be signed during the visit.
Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena and Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa are to host a lunch for the visiting PM in the afternoon. This will be followed by a discussion on the setting up of a high quality sports centre at Kirimandala Mawatha in Nawala.
Mr Khan is set to depart the country on Wednesday afternoon.