Pakistan–Sri Lanka relations

Pakistan–Sri Lanka relations refer to bilateral relations between  Pakistan and  Sri Lanka. Both countries are located in South Asia. The earliest proper diplomatic and trade contacts between Pakistan (previously the Dominion of Pakistan) and Sri Lanka (previously the Dominion of Ceylon) date back as early as 1948. In 2013, the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif said that there were strong bonds of friendship between the two countries.

There is a Pakistani High Commission in Colombo, and a Sri Lankan High Commission in Islamabad.

History
The relations between Pakistan and Sri Lanka date back to the formative years of the two countries. The two countries laid the foundation of their friendship in 1948 when Prime Minister of Sri Lanka DS Senanayake visited Pakistan.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka are both Commonwealth republics.

Diplomatic Relations
Sri Lanka avoided joining the boycott of the 19th SAARC summit that was scheduled to be held in November 2016 in Islamabad, Pakistan. However a media release by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs which said it regrets that the prevailing environment in the region was not conducive for holding the SAARC summit was false interpreted by Indian media as not attending the summit. But the Sri Lankan Minister of Foreign Affairs Mangala Samaraweera debunked the claims saying that General Provisions of the Charter of SAARC results in the summit being cancelled even if one country does not attend thus there was no summit for Sri Lanka to attend and Sri Lanka will attend the summit whenever it will be held.

Economic relations
On February 12, 2012, a credit line for US$200 million was one of three Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The MoUs were signed during President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s official visit to Pakistan, on the invitation of President Asif Ali Zardari.

In 2012, Sri Lankan Airlines invited Pakistan International Airlines to operate more flights to Sri Lanka.

Defense Cooperation


On January 16, 2018, Pakistani Army Chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa reached Sri Lanka on a two-day official visit on the invitation from his counterpart.

During his visit to Sri Lanka in February 2021, PM Imran Khan offered a $50 million line of credit to Sri Lanka for defence purchases.

Military Assistance & Training
Pakistan has provided training to the Sri Lankan military, included Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and also military exercises. Pakistan offered training to Sri Lanka for intelligence gathering. Apart from traditional military assistance to Sri Lanka, Pakistan has also offered to train Sri Lanka Police and State Intelligence Service (SIS) officers.

Pakistan over the years has provided military munitions and systems to assist Sri Lanka in its Civil War with the LTTE.

Growing ties
In 2009, shortly after the defeat of the Tamil Tiger rebels in Sri Lanka, Islamabad congratulated Sri Lanka and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Hussein A. Bhaila of Sri Lanka called Pakistan a true friend saying: "The government and the people of Sri Lanka have considered Pakistan as a true friend of Sri Lanka, which has always stood by it in times of need..."

Nuclear energy deal
In April, 2015 Sri Lanka signed a nuclear energy deal with Pakistan.

Agriculture
In January 2018, amid a shortage of fertilizer in Sri Lanka, President of Sri Lanka Maithripala Sirisena requested Pakistan for assistance. Though the Pakistani government had banned fertilizer exports, Pakistan agreed to send 41,000 metric tons of fertilizer immediately. Following concerns raised about the scarcity of fertilizer in Sri Lanka, the President of Sri Lanka had contacted Prime Minister of Pakistan Shahid Khaqan Abbasi requesting assistance to find a long-lasting solution to the crisis. Islamabad informed him that it would take steps to export more than 75,000 metric tons of fertilizer to Colombo in the future. Later, President of Sri Lanka Maithripala Sirisena expressed his gratitude towards the Prime Minister of Pakistan Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and the Government of Pakistan for timely provision of fertilizer to Sri Lanka to curb the shortage.

Pakistan is to establish a modern dairy farm in Polonnaruwa District in North Central Sri Lanka which is the home district of the former Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Pakistan is among three countries in the Asia and Pacific region which are the world's top dairy producers. A high level Pakistani dairy experts team will be visiting Polonnaruwa District to carry out a feasibility study.

Culture
In June 2011, Pakistan presented the Government of Sri Lanka with a number of Buddhist relics from Pakistan's past. A former Pakistan High Commissioner, Seema Ilahi Baloch, also sponsored the construction of a school in Gampala District.

Education
Pakistan has offered scholarships to Sri Lankan students to pursue the subjects of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and engineering. The scholarships are granted under the Pakistan Technical Assistance Programme (PTAP).

Health
In 2011, the Government of Sri Lanka gave medicines and staff to Punjab. A group of 12 doctors from Sri Lanka came to Lahore to assist. Pakistan thanked Sri Lanka for its assistance in containing an outbreak of dengue fever in the country last year.

Sports


In October 2017, Sri Lanka Cricket team became the first major international team to arrive in Pakistan after the terrorist attack in 2009