On the invitation of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan will undertake a two-day official visit to Sri Lanka from February 23. This will be his first visit to Sri Lanka after assuming office.

The Prime Minister will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including members of the Cabinet and senior officials, the Pakistani High Commission in Colombo said in a statement.

The Prime Minister’s program includes meetings with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. The visiting Prime Minister will also lead the delegation-level talks, covering all areas of cooperation between the two countries including trade and investment, health and education, agriculture and science & technology, defence and security, and culture and tourism. Besides bilateral matters, views will be exchanged on key regional and international issues, it said.

During the visit, the reconstitution of the Sri Lanka-Pakistan Parliamentary Friendship Association will be also announced to further promote parliamentary exchanges between the two countries, it noted.

The Prime Minister will also participate in a joint ‘Trade and Investment Conference’ aimed at promoting trade and investment between the two countries. A number of MoUs to enhance bilateral cooperation will be signed during the visit, the statement further said.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka have maintained close, cordial and mutually supportive relations since 1948. The two countries share commonality of views on a wide range of international and regional issues. Both sides also work closely at the international and regional fora including the United Nations and SAARC.

The Prime Minister’s visit would help further strengthen the Pakistan-Sri Lanka relationship and enhance mutual cooperation in diverse fields, it added.