COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, Feb 24 (APP): Prime Minister Imran Khan and President of Sri Lanka Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Wednesday held a one-on-one meeting at Presidential Secretariat in Colombo as the two leaders affirmed cooperation at multilateral fora.

During the talks held in a warm and cordial atmosphere, Prime Minister Imran Khan underlined the exceptional quality of Pakistan-Sri Lanka relations marked by trust, understanding and mutual support.

The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of building robust economic partnership characterized by enhanced bilateral trade, investments, and commercial cooperation.

He also laid emphasis on deeper collaboration in diverse fields —particularly agriculture, tourism, science & technology, sports, education and culture. The importance of sharing experiences in poverty alleviation was stressed.

Imran Khan underlined that Pakistan and Sri Lanka had always stood by each other and re-affirmed Pakistan’s steadfast support to Sri Lanka in future.

The close cooperation between the two sides in the multilateral fora was re-affirmed.

While noting the close traditional and cultural ties between the two countries, Prime Minister Imran Khan highlighted that Pakistan had the potential of being a choice destination for religious tourism for Sri Lankan people. He particularly highlighted the rich Buddhist heritage of Pakistan.

In the regional context, Prime Minister Imran Khan shared his vision of peace, development, and connectivity.

Prime Minister Imran Khan also emphasized the importance of regional cooperation through the platform of SAARC and the opportunities for regional prosperity through CPEC, the flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

The Prime Minister extended a cordial invitation to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to visit Pakistan at the earliest convenience.