ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain on Wednesday said that Pakistan and Sri Lanka had bravely faced the menace of terrorism, which led to the stability in the region.
He said this while talking to Commander of Sri Lankan Army Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake, who along with a delegation called on him here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr. President Mamnoon said that Pakistan and Sri Lanka had exemplary relations and underlined that Pakistan was proud of its friendship with Sri Lanka.
He said that both the countries were having close cooperation in different fields including the fight against terrorism. He underscored that Pakistan was also subjected to terrorism like Sri Lanka. “We have largely overcome this scourge with the national unity and bravery of our armed forces. Our nation has laid numerous sacrifices on this path.”
He stated that peace had been restored in the country and the business activities were being conducted as usual, moreover, foreign investors and traders were giving preference to Pakistan. The president stressed that friendly relations with all countries, especially neighbours, were the basis of Pakistan foreign policy but the longstanding Kashmir issue was a major challenge for the region.
“The Kashmir issue is a cause of great concern for Pakistan,” he pointed out and said that the international community and organisations should play their role in that regard. Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake thanked the president and hoped that the bilateral cooperation between the two countries would further grow in future. He said that Pakistan was the cradle of Buddhism, which was also a shared heritage of both the nations and he was very pleased to visit the country.