Keep alive Sri Lanka-Pakistan Brotherhood  

By Dr. PRASANNA COORAY 
Democratic Social Alliance 

The lynching of a Sri Lankan citizen in Sialkot in Pakistan sent shock waves across Pakistan as much as in Sri Lanka. Undoubtedly, it was a ghastly act of unimaginable proportions. However, the prompt action of the government of Pakistan and the public against the crime has to be welcomed by the Sri Lankan public.

Prime Minister Imran Khan himself tendered an apology on behalf of his country to the family of the deceased and the Sri Lankan public. Further to that, sections of the Pakistani citizenry took to the streets to express their grief and to condemn this brutal act. It is known through media that within a short time most of the culprits were arrested, bringing some hope to the public of Sri Lanka that justice will be served in the near future.

The dear and near friendship between Sri Lanka and Pakistan is longstanding and should not dent in anyway. Pakistan being a country that came into existence lately (in 1947) was one of the earliest to establish diplomatic relations with the newly independent Ceylon in 1948.

During the East Pakistan war (in 1971) when India refused landing of Pakistani fighter jets on their soil, Sri Lanka promptly came to Pakistan’s help by providing them with fuelling facilities in Colombo, enroute to Dhaka.

The friendship between Sri Lanka and Pakistan is very strong in the sports field, and especially in cricket. Since the early seventies, Sri Lanka has been knocking on the ICC’s door for full membership. By then the country had a very good cricket team that performed remarkably well in spite of its limited exposure to foreign teams. In 1974, when Sri Lanka made an application to the ICC for full membership, only Pakistan supported it. Again in 1996, when Sri Lanka was one of the hosts of the cricket World Cup (the year it won the event) some countries were protesting over the security situation in the country. Pakistan cricket team (together with India) visited Sri Lanka to play friendly matches to show the world that the country was safe to travel. Also, it should not be forgotten how the Pakistanis who came in numbers supported the Lankan team in the finals played in Lahore.

In return, when Pakistan was sidelined by the other cricket playing countries as an unsafe place, after the shooting incident targeting the Sri Lankan cricketers that took place in 2009, it was Sri Lanka that again visited them in 2017, as the second country after Zimbabwe to do so.

The Lanka-Pakistan relations are most far reaching in the field of national security. It helped Sri Lanka in its war efforts against the LTTE throughout, and that includes many assistance from manpower training to provision of weapons ,including heavy weapons. Since the pullout of the IPKF in 1990, India refrained from giving military assistance to Sri Lanka. Pakistan was to fill the void, especially at a time when any foreign military assistance ,was not forthcoming, as the LTTE lobbyists were campaigning against Sri Lanka around the world. Even at some most trying situations for the Sri Lankan military (example in Elephant Pass) Pakistan was prompt to come to the assistance of Sri Lanka with weaponry. This even incurred the wrath of the LTTE, which tried to assassinate the Pakistani High Commissioner in Sri Lanka in August 2006, in a claymore mine attack. Although the High Commissioner escaped unhurt, seven soldiers lost their lives.

On the economic front, among the SAARC countries, Pakistan is Sri Lanka’s second largest trading partner next to India. In 2016 Sri Lanka’s exports to Pakistan amounted to USD 66.3 million.

Pakistan is also a provider of undergraduate scholarships to Sri Lanka. It offers scholarships to Sri Lankan students for medicine, dentistry, pharmacy education and engineering on a regular basis.

In 2011 Pakistan handed over to Sri Lanka some invaluable ancient Buddha relics.

Among the other notable donations by Pakistan to Sri Lanka include the Zia-ul-Haq hospital in Akurana and a school building in Gampola.

The brotherhood between Sri Lanka and Pakistan is so strong and precious and no fanatic hooligan should be allowed to make inroads into it.