Pakistan and Sri Lanka commenced high-level defence dialogue in Colombo, which would continue from 3-5 October.
Pakistan’s Defence Secretary Lt. Gen (Retd) Ikram Ul Haq co-chaired the first round of the dialogue. The Sri Lankan side was led by Secretary Defence of Sri Lanka Kapila Waidyaratne. The Dialogue is the apex forum of defence collaboration between the two countries, and it aims to promote professional and mutually beneficial relations between their Armed Forces. The inaugural round of Defence Dialogue upgrades the existing forum of military collaboration between the two countries and would further strengthen bilateral defence ties by enhancing and diversifying the present level of cooperation.
The Defence Secretary while expressing his views in the Defence Dialogue said that Pakistan and Sri Lanka share the unique honour of defeating terrorism; an achievement which shows the unflinching resolve of their people and their Armed Forces. Expressing confidence that the Defence Dialogue would prove successful, the Defence Secretary showed satisfaction on the progress made in the inaugural session. He mentioned that the forum had enabled both countries to identify new areas of collaboration and provided an opportunity to exchange views on strategic and security issues. Defence ties between Pakistan and Sri Lanka are based on mutual trust and commonality of interest in maintaining regional peace, security and stability.
Published in Daily Times, September 5th 2018.
