Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva was elected as the President of the Sri Lanka – Pakistan Parliamentary Friendship Association whilst MPs Rauff Hakeem, A. Aravindh Kumar and Mohomad Muzammil were elected as Vice Presidents.
The Office-Bearers and Executive Committee members were elected at the Sri Lanka–Pakistan Parliamentary Friendship Association Committee meeting held on Tuesday in Parliament under the patronage of Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana at which the High Commissioner for the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in Sri Lanka Major General Muhammad Saad Khattak was also present.
Accordingly, MP Rishad Bathiudeen was elected as Secretary whilst MP Vadivel Suresh was elected as the Assistant Secretary and Parliamentarian Weerasumana Weerasinghe was elected as the Treasurer.
Addressing the gathering, Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said that Sri Lanka has never forgotten the support extended by Pakistan to end the 30-year terrorist conflict in the country. He pointed out that a friend in need is a friend indeed.
Minister de Silva who is the President of the Association also extended his gratitude to the Government of Pakistan for its support to reject the Resolution of the UN Human Rights Council against Sri Lanka.
The Minister also said that Sri Lankans still remember the how the Pakistani public supported our Cricket team in 1996 at the ICC Cricket World Cup Final.
Welcoming High Commissioner Major General Muhammad Saad Khattak, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana said the signing of two MoUs mainly based on the capacity building of Members and the Staff of the Sri Lanka Parliament and the Senate of Pakistan and Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services–PIPS took place during the Pakistani Prime Minister’s visit.
The High Commissioner said that Sri Lanka and Pakistan have maintained cordial relations and that the Pakistan Prime Minister’s visit to Sri Lanka aims at further boosting these ties.
The High Commissioner also took the opportunity to invite the Committee Members and all Parliamentarians to visit Pakistan.
Members of Parliament K.Kader Masthan, Thushara Indunil Amarasena, (Dr.) (Mrs.) Sudarshini Fernandopulle, Major Sudarshana Denipitiya, Chandima Weerakkody, M.S.Thowfeek, S.M.M.Muszhaaraff, Ali Sabri Raheem, Kanaka Herath, Jayantha Weerasinghe, Jagath Kumara,Kulasingam Dhileeban, Jagath Pushpakumara, Velu Kumar, Faizal Cassim, Amarakeerthi Athukorala, Madhura Withanage, Chamara Sampath Dasanayake, Udayana Kirindigoda, Gunathilaka Rajapaksha, (Dr.) R.M. Thilak Rajapaksha,J.C.Alawathuwala and Roshan Ranasinghe were appointed as Executive Committee members.