The office bearers and executive committee members were elected at the Sri Lanka – Pakistan Parliamentary Friendship Association Committee meeting held Feb (23) in Parliament under the patronage of Hon. Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana to which H.E the High Commissioner for the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in Sri Lanka Major general Muhammad Saad Khattak was also present.

Accordingly, Hon. Rishad Bathiudeen was elected as Secretary whilst Hon. Vadivel Suresh was elected as the Assistant Secretary and Hon. Weerasumana Weerasinghe was elected as the Treasurer.

Addressing the gathering, Hon. Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva stated that Sri Lanka has never forgotten the support given by Pakistan to end the 30-year conflict in the country
pointing out that a friend in need is a friend indeed. The Minister and 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. Whilst reminding the time where Sri Lanka took a very bold decision to allow Pakistan to
fuel their air craft in Sri Lanka during the Indo – Pakistan conflict period, the Minister also stated that it still echoes in our hearts and minds of the Sri Lankans how Pakistan backed the Cricket team in 1996 at the ICC Cricket World Cup Final not letting them feel that they were playing in foreign soil.

Welcoming the H.E High Commissioner Major general Muhammad Saad Khattak, the Hon Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana stated that signing of two MoUs mainly based on the capacity building of Members and the staff of Parliament of Sri Lanka and the
Senate of Pakistan and Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services – PIPS -in the presence of H.E Imran Khan will take place  yesterday (24)

H.E the High Commissioner stated this addressing the committee stated that the two countries have maintained cordial and friendly relations and that the Pakistan Prime Minister’s visit to Sri Lanka aims at further boosting the ties and relations between the two countries. H.E the High Commissioner also took the opportunity to invite the Committee
members and all Parliamentarians to visit Pakistan. Members of Parliament Hon. K. Kader Masthan, Hon. Thushara Indunil Amarasena, Hon. (Dr.) (Mrs.) Sudarshini Fernandopulle, Hon. Major Sudarshana Denipitiya, Hon. Chandima Weerakkody, Hon. M. S. Thowfeek, Hon. S. M. M. Muszhaaraff, Hon. Ali Sabri Raheem, Hon. Kanaka Herath, Hon. Jayantha Weerasinghe, MP, Hon. Jagath Kumara, Hon. Kulasingam Dhileeban, Hon. Jagath Pushpakumara, Hon. Velu Kumar, Hon. Faizal Cassim, Hon.
Amarakeerthi Athukorala, Hon. Madhura Withanage, Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake, MP, Hon. Udayana Kirindigoda, Hon. Gunathilaka Rajapaksha, Hon. (Dr.) R. M. Thilak Rajapaksha, Hon. J. C. Alawathuwala, Hon. Roshan Ranasinghe who were present at this meeting were appointed as Executive Committee members