News

Imran Khan’s address to Sri Lanka Parliament cancelled

17 Feb, 2021

By Vyshnavy Velrajh

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s address to Parliament during his official visit to Sri Lanka has been cancelled.

Sergeant-at-Arms of Parliament Narendra Fernando told Colombo Gazette that the Foreign Ministry had informed Parliament that the Pakistani Prime Minister?s visit to Sri Lanka will go ahead as scheduled.

However, the Foreign Ministry had informed Parliament officials that a proposed visit to the Parliament Complex by the visiting Pakistani Prime Minister will not take place.

The Sergeant-at-Arms of Parliament said the Foreign Ministry had informed Parliament officials in this regard over a telephone conversation.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan will arrive in Sri Lanka on Monday (22) on a two-day official state visit.

Khan, who will be the first head of state to visit the country since the COVID-19 pandemic, is to hold talks with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, and Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena during the visit.

Last week, Pakistani Prime Minister Khan welcomed Sri Lanka?s assurance on the burial of Muslim coronavirus victims.

Khan tweeted welcoming Prime Minister Rajapaksa?s assurance given in Parliament that Muslims will be allowed to bury those who died from the coronavirus.

The Pakistani Prime Minister?s visit, scheduled a month after Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar?s three-day visit to Colombo, will coincide with the early days of the 46th United Nations Human Rights Council session in Geneva, where a new resolution on Sri Lanka is likely to be adopted. (Colombo Gazette)

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