Ancestral Lineage of Hazaras: from Afghanistan to Pakistan

On the formal invitation of the Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, H.E. Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, H.E. Imran Khan, paid a two-day official go to to Sri Lanka on 23-24 February 2021.

Prime Minister Imran Khan was accompanied by an elevated-level delegation comprising Federal Ministers and senior Authorities officers. The primary-ever go to by the Prime Minister of Pakistan to Sri Lanka because the formation of the brand new governments in each international locations clearly displays the heat and goodwill between the 2 international locations’ governments and peoples. Prime Minister Imran Khan acquired a heat conventional welcome from the Prime Minister and the Cupboard of Sri Lanka’s Ministers.

Through the go to, Prime Minister Imran Khan held delegation-level discussions with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka. Each side comprehensively appraised the multifaceted bilateral relationship in varied fields of cooperation. The talks have been held in a heat and cordial atmosphere, marked by mutual belief and respect. The go to offeredboth sides a well timed alternative to additional form upon their shut and common consultations, notably within the areas recognized throughout the just lately held International Secretary degree Bilateral Political Consultations, Joint Financial Fee session, and the Commerce Secretaries-level Talks.

Each side reached a wide-ranging consensus on methods and means to strengthen cooperation additional comprehensively and determined to carry frequent conferences; promote high-level and delegation-level exchanges; and improve the method of consultations, collaboration, and synchronization between their respective establishments. Prime Minister Imran Khan reiterated Pakistan’s assist for the socio-economic improvement of Sri Lanka according to the imaginative and prescient of a “peaceable neighborhood.”

The 2 sides reviewed the all-encompassing engagement between the 2 international locations in selling cultural linkages, human useful resource improvement, capability constructing in various areas, and academic and technical cooperation. The Pakistan facet introduced 100 scholarships in well being sciences and medicines (MBBS and BDS) as a part of the Pakistan-Sri Lanka Greater Training Cooperation Programme (PSLHECP). The Sri Lankan facet appreciated the cooperation being prolonged by Pakistan in human useful resource improvement and capability constructing.

Whereas comprehending the existence of boundless potential of spiritual tourism to Buddhist archeological websites and perceiving the shut historical and cultural ties relationship again to Gandhara civilization, the 2 sides emphasised the significance of augmenting cooperation within the subject of tourism and highlighted the advantages of sharing experience within the hospitality trade, together with coaching and capability constructing. The Pakistan facet declared its initiative of creating the Asian Civilization and Tradition Centre on the College of Peradeniya, Kandy. Each side acknowledged the significance of enhancing air connectivity to advertise people-to-people contact, tourism, commerce, and tradition.

In an effort to discover new avenues for enhancing bilateral commerce and funding between the 2 international locations, a high-level Pakistan-Sri Lanka Commerce and Funding Convention was held on 24 February 2021. The Convention supplied a chance for efficient and significant engagement between the enterprise communities of the 2 international locations. On the Convention, each Pakistan and Sri Lanka sides reiterated the significance of strengthening financial relations in important areas of mutual curiosity and diversifying commerce and funding. The 2 sides emphasised the significance of realizing the aim of attaining a US$ 1 billion bilateral commerce goal and in addition agreed to work in direction of broadening and deepening of Pakistan Sri Lank Free Commerce Settlement.

Through the go to, the next MoUs between Pakistan and Sri Lanka have been signed:

i. Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Authorities of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the Authorities of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on Cooperation in Tourism

ii. Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation between the Board of Funding of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the Board of Funding of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan

iii. Memorandum of Understanding between Industrial Expertise Institute (ITI), the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, and Worldwide Centre for Chemical and Organic Sciences, College of Karachi Islamic Republic of Pakistan

iv Intent Cooperation between Industrial Expertise Institute of Sri Lanka and COMSATS College Islamabad

v. Memorandum of Understanding between College of Colombo, Sri Lanka and Lahore College of Economics, Pakistan

Prime Minister Imran Khan and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa collectively accredited the Sri Lanka-Pakistan Parliamentary Friendship Affiliation reconstitution. Each side highlighted the necessity to strengthen parliamentary cooperation between two sides.

Each side expressed satisfaction on the current bilateral cooperation within the subject of protection. They famous that the elevation of staff-level talks to Defence Dialogue has additional supplied a prospect to develop safety sector relations. Prime Minister Imran Khan introduced a brand new $50 million protection credit score line facility. The 2 sides harassed the necessity for a strengthened partnership to assist and coordinate with one another to take care of issues associated to safety, terrorism, organized crime, drug and narcotic trafficking, and intelligence-sharing.

In his efforts to strengthen sports activities diplomacy, Prime Minister Imran Khan participated in a shared session with the sports activities neighborhood of Sri Lanka on 24 February 2021. At this occasion, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Sports activities and Youth Namal Rajapaksa, within the Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardane, acknowledged the commissioning of the “Imran Khan Excessive-Efficiency Sports activities Centre” in Colombo.

The Pakistan facet declared its choice to supply PKR 52 million to advertise sports activities in Sri Lanka, together with by coaching and gear.

Each side harassed the significance of inter-religious dialogue and concord as a key to selling cultural range, peaceable co-existence, and mutual empathy.

The 2 sides noticed the shut cooperation between the 2 international locations at regional and worldwide fora on mutual curiosity points. They agreed to strengthen a coordinated strategy on such issues additional.

Each side restated their dedication to the rules and intents of the SAARC Constitution. They harassed the necessity for SAARC Member international locations to construct on convergences for the area’s individuals’s larger good. Each side emphasised the necessity to convene the Constitution Primarily based our bodies and agreed to take ahead the SAARC course of for additional strengthening regional cooperation to attain prosperity within the area.

Discussing the regional and international atmosphere developments, the 2 sides restated their shared dedication to regional peace, safety, and stability. Prime Minister Imran Khan underscored the necessity for peaceable decision of unresolved disputes by constructive dialogue in accordance with worldwide legitimacy.

Within the context of regional connectivity, Prime Minister Imran Khan highlighted the alternatives introduced by the China-Pakistan Financial Hall (CPEC), a flagship venture of BRI, for regional financial progress and prosperity.

Discussing the extraordinary challenges postured by Covid – 19, the 2 sides highlighted the necessity for mixed efforts to take care of the pandemic. Sri Lanka thanked Pakistan for the large help prolonged to the return of stranded Sri Lankans in Pakistan because the Covid pandemic outbreak.

Whereas echoing the brand new authorities’s dedication to strengthen the bilateral relations additional, the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka thanked the federal government and other people of Pakistan for the persistent assist prolonged by Pakistan to defend the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka.

The Prime Minister of Pakistan prolonged an invite to the President and the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka to go to Pakistan at their earliest comfort and thanked Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa for the nice and cozy cordiality prolonged to him and his delegation.

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