Pakistan which commended Sri Lanka in stabilising the debt crisis said it could learn from Sri Lanka’s experience, according to a statement from the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

The two countries concluded bilateral consultations in Islamabad yesterday after a gap of three years, and Pakistan delegation commended the leadership and the people of Sri Lanka in stabilising the debt crisis, the Ministry said.

The areas of cooperation that were discussed at the meeting included economy and trade, defense and security, education, culture, media and sports, consular matters, agriculture as well as technology.  The two sides also discussed their cooperation at multilateral and regional fora, and the Sri Lanka delegation particularly thanked Pakistan for the steadfast support that it has been extending to Sri Lanka over the years at multilateral fora, the ministry said.

Both Sri Lanka and Pakistan stressed the importance of high-level political exchanges in enhancing the bilateral relations. In this context, a Foreign Ministerial visit to Pakistan is envisaged in the near future.   

The delegations agreed on the need to increase connectivity and bilateral trade in enhancing economic growth, in particular air connectivity, between the two countries. Tourism and people-to-people contacts could be further enhanced through cultural, religious and sports links.  The two sides also agreed to cooperate in meeting challenges of transnational organized crime such as drug trafficking which adversely impact both Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

The next round of Sri Lanka-Pakistan Bilateral Political Consultations will be held in Colombo on a mutually agreed date.