Lookng forward to high-level visits between Sri Lanka, Pakistan: PM Rajapaksa

[ghazi52]

Lookng forward to high-level visits between Sri Lanka, Pakistan: PM Rajapaksa

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. Photo: AFP



COLOMBO: Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on Saturday said he was looking forward to mutual-high level visits between Islamabad and Colombo after Prime Minister Imran Khan extended congratulations to him on his re-election.

“Many thanks to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for your phone call and warm wishes. I look forward to mutual high-level visits between our countries to strengthen our friendly bilateral ties,” Rajapaksa tweeted on Saturday.

The Rajapaksa brothers secured a two-thirds majority in parliamentary elections on Friday. PM Rajapaksa's Sri Lanka Podujana Party (SLPP) won 145 seats, according to final results.

Rajapaksa, 74, and his brother Gotabaya, 71, who was elected president in November, needed to secure a super-majority to carry out their promised roll-back of constitutional changes.

With two-thirds of votes in parliament, they can overturn the reforms made by the previous administration aimed at decentralising power and preventing the rise of another strongman.

Official results showed the party received 6.8 million of the votes cast in Wednesday's election, which was twice postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic. Turnout was more than 75% of the 16.2-million-strong electorate.

The Rajapaksa family has dominated Sri Lankan politics for the past two decades.

Mahinda was president from 2005 to 2015 but was ousted after a revolt within his own party and a public backlash against alleged nepotism and corruption.

Gotabaya — a former army officer dubbed "The Terminator" by his own family — won comfortably in November's presidential election, running on a law-and-order ticket while capitalising on government infighting.

He swiftly appointed Mahinda as his prime minister.

The brothers are also viewed as heroes by the country's Sinhalese majority for orchestrating a ruthless military campaign to end a decades-long Tamil separatist war in 2009 when Mahinda was president and his brother a key figure in the military.


https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/6...isits-between-sri-lanka-pakistan-pm-rajapaksa

 

[The Eagle]

The real diplomacy is taking place. Let's just keep up the pace and apply aggressive diplomacy for the sack of peace in the region. Pakistan & Sir Lanka enjoys good ties since both countries faced sponsored terrorism and Pakistan has helped Sri Lanka to get rid of the menace successfully. Contrary to the remarks by some opposition politicians in Sri Lanka that may have made some moves on behest of their own interest and support from outside; these ties will grow stronger and are need of hour.

 

[ghazi52]

Yes, Great move by Pakistan. Need Nepal and Bangladesh .

 

[PDF]

JF-17 perhaps? Damn, if wishes were horses, beggers would ride them. But we do have great military ties with Sri Lanka including exchanging experiences with eachother. Let's hope high level visits bring fruitful dividends.

 

[TNT]

Pakistan should enhance relations, especially in naval affairs. Maybe a joint pak china naval base in srilanka. Indians will get a hell of a diarrhea.

 

[AsifIjaz]

Rajapaksa brothers are more pro pakistan and anti india than rest. They requested and were involved during pakistan's contribution to Tamil insurgency.
Good days ahead for pak-srilanka friendship

edit. pro pak and pro china and anti india.. corrected the narrative

 

[Flash_Ninja]

More people to people contact is needed with Sri Lanka, I think too many people see them as just an extension of South India. I'd like to see some jointly produced media or something in the future.

 

[waz]

Good stuff, all the best to the Rajapaksa brothers.
Pak/Lanka friendship.

 

[Kambojaric]

Nice to see the Rajapaksas back in power. Pakistan and Sri Lankas already warm ties should get a further boost from this.

 

[Pakistan Space Agency]

What a fantastic news.