Bilateral discussions between Pakistani Prime Minister and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa commenced this morning, says the President’s Media Division.

The meeting is taking place at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo.

PM Imran Khan arrived in Sri Lanka last evening (February 23) for a two-day official visit, accepting an invitation extended by his Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The two prime ministers together presided over an event to sign 05 mutually beneficial bilateral Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) yesterday after concluding their official talks at the Temple Trees.

They issued a joint statement, affirming efforts to enhance trade relations between Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

PM Khan said he looks forward to expand trade relations with Sri Lanka through China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). CPEC, which connects Gwadar Port in Balochistan with China’s Xinjiang Province, is the flagship project of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

During the joint statement, PM Rajapaksa said the two countries will continue to work together to fight terrorism, religious fundamentalism and extremism.

They have further agreed to proceed with the current mechanism to curb illegal drug trafficking, arms smuggling and other illegal activities by sharing information through the relevant agencies.

PM Imran Khan was accompanied by a high-powered business and investment delegation that will consist of business leaders in Pakistan, mainly from the sectors of textile and apparel, pharmaceuticals, agro-food commodities, sports goods, gems and jewellery, auto parts, ICT, construction material and surgical equipment.

Pakistani Minister of Foreign Affairs Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, Secretary Foreign Affairs Sohail Mehmood and senior officials of the Pakistan Government are among PM Khan’s delegation.