On Friday, March 15, Major General (Retd.) Faheem Ul Aziz, the newly appointed Pakistani High Commissioner, paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the Temple Trees.
During the meeting, the new envoy expressed gratitude to the Sri Lankan Prime Minister for his felicitations and best wishes conveyed to the newly-elected Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Prime Minister Gunawardena reciprocated the gratitude, acknowledging Pakistan’s support for Sri Lanka at international forums and its provision of training facilities to members of the Sri Lankan armed forces.
The discussions also revolved around the potential expansion of bilateral ties in economic sectors, investments, tourism, and industries.
High Commissioner Aziz highlighted the opportunity for increased Buddhist pilgrimages to Pakistan, noting the establishment of adequate infrastructure facilities in pilgrimage sites such as Thakshila and the Gandhara region.
The meeting was attended by MP Yadamini Gunawardena, Prime Minister’s Secretary Anura Dissanayake, and Deputy High Commissioner Wajid Hassan Hashmi.