Pakistan and Sri Lanka agreed to strengthen the multifaceted bilateral relationship through the ongoing commercial activities under the Pakistan Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (PSFTA) to achieve the desired target of US $ 1 Billion annual two-way trade, it was decided during a top level meeting between the Foreign Ministers of the two countries.
Both sides are vying to expand the bilateral trade relationship to new domains such as investments, services and finance beyond the current threshold of activities under the PSFTA, according to the Foreign Ministry.
The visiting Pakistan Minister of Foreign Affairs Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi called on Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the Foreign Ministry today.
Foreign Minister Gunawardena conveyed Sri Lanka’s desirability to see increased Pakistan investments in the manufacturing sector to enhance exports. He welcomed the visit of a high-powered business delegation from Pakistan together with Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Foreign Minister Qureshi, who accompanied Prime Minister Imran Khan in his high-level two-day official visit to Sri Lanka reassured Pakistan’s continued solidarity and support for Sri Lanka’s efforts to achieve sustainable development, economic growth, stability and prosperity. Both Ministers endorsed the notion that the relationship needs the transformation towards closer economic relations for the mutual benefit.
Both Ministers agreed to work closely in the multilateral fora on matters of mutual concern. Foreign Minister Gunawardena conveyed Sri Lanka’s appreciation for the first call by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on the international financial institutes and other lenders to provide debt relief to developing countries, which he termed as “an important opening for the Global South”.
Foreign Minister Qureshi also extended an invitation to Foreign Minister Gunawardena to undertake a reciprocal visit to Pakistan.
In the wake of the ‘outing’ of parliament Speaker Ashoka Ranwala with accusations that his PhD was fake, there has been a flurry of articles on fake degrees.
An eighteen member Presidential Task Force, including President’s secretary was appointed today to implement the ’Clean Sri Lanka’ initiative proposed by the government.
Under the government’s initiative of disposing of high end- luxury vehicles that impose a heavy burden of public funds, other state institutions are barred from purchasing them through state procurement procedure, according to a Treasury circular.
An investigation has been launched on the instructions of Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) Priyantha Weerasuriya into an incident where popular author Kasun Mahendra Heenatigala was arrested and allegedly mistreated by the Athurugiriya Police.
Mr. Gihan de Silva has been appointed as the new Chairman of the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation, the Government Information Department announced.
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