ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif received a telephone call from President of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe here on Saturday and discussed matters of mutual interest.
President Wickremesinghe offered sympathies on the widespread devastation caused by the recent floods in Pakistan and condoled with Prime Minister Sharif on the loss of lives. He expressed solidarity with the government and people of Pakistan braving the unforeseen natural calamity with resolve.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanked President Wickremesinghe for his compassion and expression of support in these testing times and briefed him on the large-scale destruction caused across Pakistan by unprecedented rainfall resulting in floods and landslides.
The prime minister highlighted that the floods had caused extensive loss of human lives, livelihoods, livestock, crops, property, and critical infrastructure.
He also apprised President Wickremesinghe of the government’s well-coordinated humanitarian response including the establishment of a Relief Fund in which people in Pakistan and overseas could donate to the flood relief efforts.
He reiterated the need for enhanced awareness in the international community about the scale of the floods which had deluged one-third of the country.
The PM hoped that the “2022 UN Flash Appeal” for the Pakistan flood response launched on August 30, 2022 would contribute towards meeting the relief funding requirements and assist in the expeditious provision of relief to those in dire need. He also highlighted the vital importance of the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase.
The prime minister felicitated President Wickremesinghe on his election as the new President of Sri Lanka.
The two leaders expressed desire to further strengthen the fraternal relations between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in areas of mutual interest.
