Islamabad :
Pakistan will lend 200 million $ to Srilanka. According to a TV report, the Sri Lankan media said that the loan agreement was reached during the recent visit of the Sri Lankan Minister of Commerce to Pakistan. Pakistani cement and rice will be purchased with the loan obtained from Pakistan.
It may be recalled that last month, Sri Lankan Minister of Commerce Dr. Bandola Ganavardhana and Minister of State for Regional Cooperation Mr. Tharaka Balasoriya met with Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi to discuss important regional and global issues of mutual interest including promotion of bilateral cooperation. has been .
The Foreign Minister welcomed the distinguished guests when Sri Lankan Minister of Commerce Dr. Bandola Ganavardhana and Minister of State for Regional Cooperation Mr. Tharaka Balasoriya arrived at the Foreign Ministry with a Sri Lankan business delegation.
Later, Sri Lankan Minister of Commerce Dr. Bandola Ganavardhana and Minister of State for Regional Cooperation Mr. Tharaka Balasoriya along with a Sri Lankan business delegation called on Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Important regional and global issues of mutual interest, including the promotion of bilateral cooperation, were discussed.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that Pakistan attaches special importance to bilateral relations with Sri Lanka. He said that there are vast opportunities for enhancing cooperation between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in many areas of mutual interest including trade, investment, tourism, agriculture and defense. He said that there were many agreements between Pakistan and Sri Lanka for the promotion of trade and investment which needed to be implemented.
He said that Pakistan also considers Sri Lanka as an important country in the SAARC Forum and is committed to make joint efforts with Sri Lanka to make the SAARC Forum effective. He said that the Foreign Minister expressed his condolences on the demise of Mr. Prenta Kumara in the tragic incident that took place in Sialkot and apprised him of the details of the steps taken by the Government of Pakistan to bring the perpetrators of this incident to justice.
Dr. Bandola Gana Vardhane thanked Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi and the Pakistani leadership for assuring the Government of Pakistan of an early hearing in the Sialkot case and for facilitating the payment of compensation. Referring to his visit to Sri Lanka, the Foreign Minister emphasized the need to increase the volume of bilateral trade cooperation between Pakistan and Sri Lanka through the Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that Pakistan is focused on economic priorities based on regional peace, development, partnership and promotion of ties. The two sides agreed to promote bilateral meetings between the business companies / chambers of commerce of the two countries. The two sides expressed their desire to work together for the promotion of regional peace, development and connectivity through cooperation at all levels of regional and international forums.
