Web Desk

ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;At the 13th Joint Economic Commission in Colombo, Pakistan and Sri Lanka agreed to strengthen bilateral ties, notably establishing a Joint Working Group on IT and digital economy. Pakistan and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-sends-75-tons-aid-as-cyclone-ditwan-devastates-sri-lanka" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sri Lanka</a>&nbsp;reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening bilateral ties and expanding cooperation across multiple sectors of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/india-blocking-humanitarian-flights-to-floodhit-sri-lanka-foreign-office" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">mutual interest</a>, state-run Radio Pakistan reported on Wednesday. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Haroon Akhtar Khan, led the Pakistani delegation.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 696px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2016539236036645155&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=dcd19a589a1e950f59eb55420c72d0f64859e2f2&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>Key outcome&nbsp;A key outcome of the session was the decision to establish a Joint Working Group on IT and Digital Economy, reflecting both countries&#39; resolve to collaborate in emerging technologies and digital transformation. Discussions were held on expanding industrial collaboration and increasing bilateral trade in diverse sectors, including pharmaceutical, Small and Medium Enterprises, agriculture, livestock, higher education, health, science and technology.

Foreign Affairs

A key outcome of the 13th Joint Economic Commission was the decision to establish a Joint Working Group on IT and Digital Economy, reflecting both countries' resolve to collaborate in emerging technologies and digital transformation.

Pakistan, Sri Lanka to boost IT, trade, and industrial cooperation

ISLAMABAD: All-rounder Shadab Khan, and wicketkeeper-batter Khawaja Nafay have been named in Pakistan&#39;s 15-member squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, set to begin in January. Shadab, who last played for Pakistan in June, returns after a successful rehabilitation following shoulder surgery earlier this year.&nbsp;The series, scheduled to take place at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium from January 7 to 11, will provide Pakistan an opportunity to finalize their squad for the ICC Men&rsquo;s T20 World Cup, which will be held in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8, 2025.&nbsp;Shadab&rsquo;s inclusion is a significant boost for the team as they prepare for the World Cup. The 27-year-old is currently featuring in the Big Bash League (BBL) in Australia, which marks his return to competitive cricket.&nbsp;Nafay, 23, is uncapped at the international level but has impressed with his performances for Pakistan Shaheens, having played 32 T20 matches with an impressive strike rate of 132.81.&nbsp;Salman Ali Agha, who captains the team, will continue in his role for the series. Agha has had a standout year, featuring in a record 34 T20I matches &mdash; the most by any Pakistan player this year. He will lead the side as Pakistan looks to build momentum ahead of the World Cup.&nbsp;The squad also includes a mix of experienced players and emerging talent, with the likes of Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Naseem Shah, and Mohammad Wasim Jnr all included.&nbsp;Pakistan&#39;s team management will be led by head coach Mike Hesson, with Ashley Noffke as the bowling coach and Hanif Malik as the batting coach.&nbsp;The series, that follows <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-rout-sri-lanka-to-win-t20i-triseries" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sri Lanka&#39;s white-ball tour to Pakistan</a> in November, is expected to be a crucial step for Pakistan in refining their lineup for the T20 World Cup, where they will play all their matches in Colombo.&nbsp;Pakistan T20I squad: &nbsp;Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmad, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk), Usman Tariq.Team management: &nbsp;Naveed Akram Cheema (manager), Mike Hesson (head coach), Ashley Noffke (bowling coach), Hanif Malik (batting coach), Shane McDermott (fielding coach), Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Grant Luden (strength and conditioning coach), Talha Ejaz (analyst), Syed Naeem Ahmad (media manager), Col. Usman Anwari (security manager), Dr. Wajid Ali Rafai (team doctor), Muhammad Ehsan (masseur).&nbsp;Series schedule:&nbsp;January 7: First T20I&nbsp;January 9: Second T20I&nbsp;January 11: Third T20I

Cricket

The series is to take place at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium, Dambulla, from January 7 to 11.

Shadab, Nafay make it to Pakistan’s T20I squad for Sri Lanka series

WASHINGTON: The International Monetary Fund said Friday that its board has approved $206 million in emergency financing for Sri Lanka, to help in the country&#39;s recovery from the devastating Cyclone Ditwah.&nbsp;The natural disaster killed more than 640 people, and affected more than 10 percent of Sri Lanka&#39;s population. Floods and landslides caused by the cyclone left extensive damage throughout the South Asian island nation.&nbsp;&quot;The disaster has created urgent humanitarian and reconstruction needs, generating significant fiscal pressures and balance-of-payments needs,&quot; IMF deputy managing director Kenji Okamura said in a statement.&nbsp;The IMF&#39;s emergency aid -- which comes under the Washington-based lender&#39;s rapid financing instrument -- is meant to help address these pressures, he added.&nbsp;The announcement comes a day after Sri Lanka&#39;s government unveiled plans for $1.6 billion in additional spending next year to fund cyclone recovery.&nbsp;While it is still early for a firm assessment, the fund&#39;s mission chief for Sri Lanka, Evan Papageorgiou, flagged a likely hit to economic activity in the short-term.&nbsp;&quot;Agriculture and tourism are key sectors in Sri Lanka&#39;s growth and are being hit the hardest,&quot; he told reporters in a briefing.&nbsp;&quot;Inflation is likely to rise due to supply disruptions, and the current account deficit will likely widen over the next year,&quot; he added.&nbsp;The government had also secured a World Bank agreement to repurpose $120 million from an ongoing project for disaster recovery spending.&nbsp;Separately, it got a $200 million loan from the Asian Development Bank to finance water management, the first such funding since the cyclone.&nbsp;The IMF said Friday that Sri Lankan authorities are still committed to their economic reform program aided by support of around $3 billion.&nbsp;A further tranche of this rescue package known as the Extended Fund Facility was coming up when the cyclone hit.&nbsp;The IMF said it has deferred the fifth review of the package, with a team set to visit Sri Lanka in early 2026 to resume discussions.&nbsp;It noted this deferment took place due to the time needed to assess the cyclone&#39;s economic impact and examine how an IMF-supported program can best support Sri Lanka&#39;s recovery and reconstruction efforts -- while preserving policy priorities

Asia

The IMF approved $206 million in emergency financing for Sri Lanka to aid recovery from Cyclone Ditwah, which killed over 640 people. The funds will address humanitarian needs, economic disruptions, and support ongoing reform programs.

IMF approves $206M aid to Sri Lanka after Cyclone Ditwah

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan police arrested three men Thursday on charges of cruelty to animals after a viral video showed them setting a wild elephant on fire.&nbsp;Police said the suspects, aged between 42 and 50, were taken into custody in the north-central district of Anuradhapura, about 200 kilometres (125 miles) north of Colombo.&nbsp;They were placed on remand until December 24 pending further investigations into the incident, which sparked widespread revulsion after the footage was shared on social media.&nbsp;Wildlife officials said the animal had first been shot and wounded before being set alight, and that veterinary surgeons&#39; attempts to save its life failed.&nbsp;Elephants are considered sacred in Sri Lanka and are protected by law, but farmers and residents in remote villages sometimes attack wild elephants that destroy crops.&nbsp;Elephants are protected under Sri Lankan law and poachers can face the death penalty for killing one. However, the country has not carried out an execution since 1976 and the death penalty is automatically commuted to life imprisonment.&nbsp;Escalating human&ndash;elephant conflict has claimed around 400 elephant and 200 human lives annually over the past five years.&nbsp;Sri Lanka has an estimated 7,000 wild elephants, regarded as a national treasure in part because of their importance in Buddhist culture.

Wildlife

Sri Lankan police arrested three men for fatally shooting and burning a wild elephant. The viral video sparked national outrage, highlighting the escalating human-wildlife conflict involving the country’s legally protected national treasure.

Sri Lanka arrests three men for burning elephant alive

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan authorities issued fresh landslide warnings on Sunday with rains lashing areas already devastated by a powerful cyclone, as the death toll rose to 618.&nbsp;More than two million people, nearly 10% of the population, have been affected by last week&#39;s floods and landslides triggered by Cyclone Ditwa, the worst on the island this century.&nbsp;The Disaster Management Center (DMC) said monsoon storms were adding more rain and making hillsides unstable, including the central mountainous region and the north-western midlands.&nbsp;Helicopters and planes were being used on Sunday to supply communities cut off by landslides in the center of the country.&nbsp;The Sri Lanka Air Force said it had received a planeload of relief supplies from Myanmar on Sunday, the latest batch of foreign aid.&nbsp;The government has confirmed 618 dead, 464 from the lush tea-growing central region, while 209 people remain unaccounted for.&nbsp;The number of people in state-run refugee camps had dropped to 100,000 from a peak of 225,000 as floodwaters receded across the island by Sunday, the DMC said.&nbsp;More than 75,000 homes were damaged, including close to 5,000 that were completely destroyed, it added.&nbsp;The government on Friday unveiled a major compensation package to rebuild homes and revive businesses wiped out by the natural disaster, which hit the island as it was emerging from its 2022 economic meltdown.&nbsp;A senior official earlier said recovery and reconstruction might cost up to $7 billion.&nbsp;The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Friday it was considering Sri Lanka&rsquo;s request for an additional $200 million to help with rebuilding.&nbsp;The money is on top of the $347 million tranche due later this month, part of a four-year, $2.9 billion IMF bailout loan agreed in 2023.&nbsp;President Anura Kumara Dissanayake told parliament on Friday that Sri Lanka&rsquo;s economy had made a significant recovery, but was not strong enough to withstand the latest shock alone.&nbsp;Survivors will be offered up to 10 million rupees ($33,000) to buy land in a safer location and build a new house, the finance ministry said in a statement late on Friday.&nbsp;One million rupees is being offered in compensation for each person killed or left permanently disabled.&nbsp;The government did not say how much the package would cost, raising concerns given the country&#39;s recent economic turbulence.&nbsp;The central bank has ordered commercial lenders, both state-owned and private, to reschedule loans.

The Disaster Management Center (DMC) says monsoon storms were adding more rain and making hillsides unstable, including the central mountainous region and the north-western midlands.

Sri Lanka issues landslide warnings as cyclone toll hits 618

BANDA ACEH: Governments and aid groups in Indonesia and Sri Lanka worked to rush aid on Tuesday to hundreds of thousands stranded by deadly flooding that has killed around 1,200 people in four countries.&nbsp; Torrential monsoon season deluges, paired with two separate tropical cyclones last week, dumped heavy rain across all of Sri Lanka and parts of Indonesia&#39;s Sumatra, southern Thailand and northern Malaysia. Climate change is producing more intense rain events because a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, and warmer oceans can turbocharge storms. The floodwaters have now largely receded, but the devastation means hundreds of thousands of people are now living in shelters and struggling to secure clean water and food. In Indonesia&#39;s Aceh, one of the worst-affected regions, residents told AFP that survivors who could afford to were stockpiling supplies. &quot;Road access is mostly cut off in flood-affected areas,&quot; 29-year-old Erna Mardhiah said as she joined a long queue at a petrol station in Banda Aceh. &quot;People are worried about running out of fuel,&quot; she added from the line she had been in for two hours. The pressure has caused skyrocketing prices. &quot;Most things are already sky-high... chillies alone are up to 300,000 rupiah per kilo ($18), so that&#39;s probably why people are panic-buying,&quot; she said. On Monday, Indonesia&#39;s government said it was sending 34,000 tons of rice and 6.8 million litres of cooking oil to the three worst-affected provinces, Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra. &quot;There can be no delays,&quot; Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman said. Food shortage riskAid groups said they were working to ship supplies to affected areas, warning that local markets were running out of essential supplies and prices had tripled already. &quot;Communities across Aceh are at severe risk of food shortages and hunger if supply lines are not reestablished in the next seven days,&quot; charity group Islamic Relief said. A shipment of 12 tonnes of food from the group aboard an Indonesian navy vessel was due to arrive in Aceh on Tuesday. At least 631 people were killed in the floods across Sumatra, and 472 are still listed as missing. A million people have evacuated from their homes, according to the disaster agency. Survivors have described terrifying waves of water that arrived without warning. In East Aceh, Zamzami said the floodwaters had been &quot;unstoppable, like a tsunami wave.&quot; &quot;We can&#39;t explain how big the water seemed; it was truly extraordinary,&quot; said the 33-year-old, who, like many Indonesians, goes by one name. People in his village sheltered atop a local two-storey fish market to escape the deluge and were now trying to clean the mud and debris left behind while battling power and telecommunications outages. &quot;It&#39;s difficult for us (to get) clean water,&quot; he told AFP on Monday. &quot;There are children who are starting to get fevers, and there&#39;s no medicine.&quot; The weather system that inundated Indonesia also brought heavy rain to southern Thailand, where at least 176 people were killed. Across the border in Malaysia, two more people were killed. Colombo floodwaters recede&nbsp;A separate storm brought heavy rains across all of Sri Lanka, triggering flash floods and deadly landslides that killed at least 390 people. Another 352 remain missing, and some of the worst-hit areas in the country&#39;s centre are still difficult to reach. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has declared a state of emergency to deal with what he called the &quot;most challenging natural disaster in our history&quot;. Unlike his Indonesian counterpart, he has called for international aid. Sri Lanka&#39;s air force, backed by counterparts from India and Pakistan, has been evacuating stranded residents and delivering food and other supplies. In the mountainous Welimada region, security forces on Monday recovered the bodies of 11 residents buried by mudslides, a local official said. In the capital Colombo meanwhile, floodwaters were slowly subsiding on Tuesday. The speed with which waters rose around the city surprised local residents used to seasonal flooding. &quot;Every year we experience minor floods, but this is something else,&quot; delivery driver Dinusha Sanjaya told AFP. &quot;It is not just the amount of water, but how quickly everything went under.&quot; Rains have eased across the country, but landslide alerts remain in force across most of the hardest-hit central region, officials said.

A youth carries an elderly man as they wade through a flooded street after heavy rainfall in Wellampitiya on the outskirts of Colombo on November 30, 2025. (AFP)

Natural Disaster

Climate

Deadly floods across Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Malaysia have killed around 1,200 people and displaced over a million. Governments and aid groups race to deliver food, clean water, and supplies as devastated regions face shortages and rising prices.

Race to get aid to Asia flood survivors as toll nears 1,200 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Navy personnel rescued a stranded Sri Lankan family, including a seven-month-old infant, during ongoing Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations, the service said Monday. In a statement issued by the Director General Public Relations of Pakistan Navy, the force confirmed that an embarked Z-9 helicopter from Pakistan Navy Ship SAIF conducted the operation in the flooded Kotikawatta area. According to the statement, the family had been &ldquo;stranded for the last five days&rdquo; and was found on a rooftop as floodwaters rose. &ldquo;The stranded family, including a 7-month-old infant, was safely recovered from a rooftop,&rdquo; the Pakistan Navy said. It added that the evacuees were later transported to a secure location &ldquo;in coordination with local authorities.&rdquo; <div class="fr-embed youtube-embed"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PdP8I2HN3PM?si=CKe02JvR2ZQAlwqM" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen="" style="width: 100%; height: auto; aspect-ratio: 16 / 9; max-width: 100%; display: block;"></iframe>&nbsp;</div> Calling the mission a demonstration of operational readiness, the statement said, &ldquo;The successful conduct of the rescue operation is a testimony of the Pakistan Navy&#39;s professionalism and commitment to international obligations.&rdquo; The Navy confirmed that PNS SAIF, with its helicopter detachment, is currently on an overseas deployment to Sri Lanka. The rescue comes as Sri Lanka faces one of the region&rsquo;s worst flooding disasters in years. The death toll across parts of Asia has surpassed 1,100, with Sri Lanka and Indonesia among the hardest hit. Heavy rains linked to Cyclone Ditwah caused the Kelani River to overflow, submerging large swathes of Colombo and surrounding districts. Official figures show 257 of the 355 confirmed deaths in Sri Lanka were in the central tea-growing highlands, while 366 people remain missing. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has declared a state of emergency and pledged to &ldquo;build back better&rdquo; with international support. Nearly 210,000 people are currently sheltering in relief camps, and another 1.15 million require assistance, according to government data. Authorities said water levels in Colombo have peaked and are expected to recede soon. &ldquo;Colombo floods are at their maximum now,&rdquo; Irrigation Director L. S. Sooriyabandara said, noting that conditions elsewhere were beginning to improve. With additional inputs from AFP

Health

Flood situation in Sri Lanka worsens as Pakistan Navy rescues a stranded family during HADR operations, while authorities report soaring casualties and hundreds of thousands displaced


Pakistan Navy rescues stranded Sri Lankan family amid deadly floods

ISLAMABAD: Sahibzada Farhan has made history by becoming the first Pakistani batsman to smash 100 sixes in a calendar year in T20 cricket, marking a major breakthrough for the country&rsquo;s limited-overs game.&nbsp;Only Australia&rsquo;s Karanbir Singh (122) and West Indies&rsquo; Nicholas Pooran (103) sit above him on the international leaderboard, underlining Farhan&rsquo;s rise as one of the world&rsquo;s most explosive power-hitters.&nbsp;Farhan has also pulled level with both Karanbir and Pooran for the most T20 fifties in a calendar year, with all three recording 15 each. His tally includes 4 hundreds and 11 fifties, compared with Karanbir&rsquo;s 13 fifties and 2 hundreds, and Pooran&rsquo;s 14 fifties and 1 century.&nbsp;The milestone came on a dominant night for Pakistan, who cruised past Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the T20 tri-series in Rawalpindi on Saturday. Farhan smashed an unbeaten 80 off 45 balls to guide the hosts to a comfortable win.&nbsp;Sri Lanka, still shaken from a heavy opening defeat to Zimbabwe, managed only 128-7 after choosing to bat as Mohammad Nawaz&rsquo;s 3-16 and Abrar Ahmed&rsquo;s accuracy kept them under pressure.&nbsp;Farhan attacked from the outset, racing Pakistan to 47 in five overs before adding 69 alongside Babar Azam. Despite two late strikes from Dushmantha Chameera, Pakistan sealed the chase in 15.3 overs at 131-3.&nbsp;Captain Salman Ali Agha praised his side for delivering a &ldquo;complete game,&rdquo; while Sri Lanka&rsquo;s troubled tour continued with another disappointing outing.

Only Australia’s Karanbir Singh (122) and West Indies’ Nicholas Pooran (103) are above him on the international leaderboard.

Sahibzada Farhan becomes first Pakistani batter to hit 100 T20 sixes in a year

RAWALPINDI: Mohammad Rizwan and Mohammad Wasim starred as Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by six wickets in the third and final ODI on Sunday, claiming the series 3-0.&nbsp;Rizwan scored an unbeaten 61 and opener Fakhar Zaman knocked 55 to guide Pakistan past their target of 212 in 44.4 overs.&nbsp;Fast bowler Wasim earlier took 3-47, while pace partner Haris Rauf and spinner Faisal Akram took two apiece to bowl out Sri Lanka on a slow-paced Rawalpindi Stadium pitch.&nbsp;This becomes Pakistan&#39;s fourth consecutive ODI series win over Sri Lanka, having beaten them in 2015, 2017 and 2019.&nbsp;Pakistan did lose opener Haseebullah Khan for a duck but Babar Azam joined Zaman to put 74 runs for the second wicket with both dominating the bowling.&nbsp;Leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay brought Sri Lanka back in the game by removing Zaman, Azam (34) and Salman Agha (six) in the space of 33 runs.&nbsp;But Rizwan and Hussain Talat, who scored 42 not out, dove Pakistan past the target and to 215-4 during their unbroken 100-run stand for the fifth wicket.&nbsp;Zaman hit eight boundaries while the usually-swashbuckling Rizwan played an anchoring knock which featured just four hits to the rope.&nbsp;Vandersay finished with 3-42 but did not get any support from the other bowlers.&nbsp;For Pakistan skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi, it was his second series win as captain after beating South Africa 2-1 earlier this month.&nbsp;Sri Lanka lost the first two ODIs in Rawalpindi and started the final match on a bad note when skipper Charith Asalanka was ruled out with a fever.&nbsp;Sadeera Samarawickrama, who top-scored with 48, added 43 for the third wicket with stand-in captain Kusal Mendis (34), but the innings then fell away badly.&nbsp;Pathum Nissanka scored 24 and Kamil Mishara made 29 but both openers were dismissed in quick succession by the combination of Rauf and Wasim.&nbsp;Akram, playing his first international in a year, dismissed Kamindu Mendis for 10 and then Samarawickrama as the tourists slumped from 143-4 to 193-8.&nbsp;Debutant Pavan Rathnayake hit a fighting 32 with a six and two boundaries before he was the last man to go, run out trying to grab a quick second.&nbsp;The two sides will next engage in a T20 tri-series alongside Zimbabwe, beginning November 18.

Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by six wickets in the final ODI to seal a 3-0 series sweep. Rizwan and Wasim starred as Sri Lanka were dismissed for 211 amid tight bowling. 

Clinical Pakistan whitewash Sri Lanka 3-0 in ODI series

Pakistan TV Satellite

ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has said we are really grateful to the Sri Lankan team for upholding sportsman spirit, for supporting the game of cricket and for putting up a good display of the game.&nbsp;Talking to Pakistan TV, the information minister said Sri Lanka has always support cricket across the globe. &ldquo;We are really grateful to them for continuing their tour of Pakistan and will be continuing their matches,&rdquo; he added.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 624px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1988692147776954481&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=a455c100864d2c01498596411a4d83dd6dee6f0d&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="1988692147776954481"></iframe></div></div>&nbsp;The minister said it is really heartening to note the way they have always promoted peace.&nbsp;He said it will go a long way in raising hope for people in Pakistan.&nbsp;Tarar said the government and people of Pakistan are grateful to the Sri Lankan team, the management and players.&nbsp;&ldquo;Sri Lanka itself has remained a victim of terrorism and resilient people of Sri Lanka prevailed, and they overcame their difficulties and have also given us hope,&rdquo; the minister added<figure class="fr-media"><video controls="" src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/1660ed7e-bd4c-4759-bf17-c5699cd7c885-slc-low.mp4" class="fr-draggable"> </video></figure>

Pakistan Information Minister Attaullah Tarar thanked the Sri Lankan cricket team for continuing their Pakistan tour, praising their sportsmanship, support for global cricket, and promotion of peace.

Articles tagged with "Sri Lanka"