The two sides discuss shared interests and agree to enhance cooperation between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in other sports as well.
Home Minister and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi met Sri Lanka’s Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Sunil Kumara Gamage and both sides agreed to enhance cooperation in sports, particularly cricket.
During the meeting, matters of mutual interest were discussed, focusing on promoting bilateral collaboration through sports. It was decided that Pakistan and Sri Lanka would strengthen cooperation in cricket and other sports in coordination with the Ministry of Sports of Sri Lanka.
“Warmth is returning to relations between Pakistan and Sri Lanka,” Naqvi said, adding that cricket and other sports would further strengthen bilateral ties. He also praised the preparations made during the T20 World Cup and praised Sri Lanka’s management of the event. “I received great love in Sri Lanka.
I thank you for your wonderful hospitality,” he said, while extending an invitation to his Sri Lankan counterpart to visit Pakistan.
Later, Naqvi also met Sri Lanka’s Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Anand Wijepala and both sides agreed to enhance cooperation on internal security, counterterrorism, narcotics control and cybercrime.
The two countries decided to strengthen coordination against illegal immigration and financial fraud, and explore joint training programs for police and paramilitary forces, including officer exchanges through the Pakistan National Police Academy.
Read: The ICC intervenes to resolve the dispute between Pakistan and India in the World Cup
Last week, Naqvi met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and it was decided that the Home Minister would visit Sri Lanka to deliver a special message from the Prime Minister to Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
The event comes amid recent diplomatic engagement between the two countries. Sri Lankan President Dissanayake had earlier urged Pakistan to honor their T20 World Cup match against India, recalling Islamabad’s support for Sri Lankan cricket during difficult times.
The government later ordered the Pakistan national team to take the field “to protect the spirit of cricket,” reversing an earlier decision to boycott the match over Bangladesh’s elimination from the tournament.
