President Dr Arif Alvi has called for promoting greater cooperation between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the fields of trade, economy and education.

He was talking to a delegation of Senior Civil Servants of Sri Lanka, which called on him, in Islamabad today.

The President said Pakistan and Sri Lanka enjoy cordial relations that need to be further expanded for the mutual benefit of the two countries. He underscored the need for increased cooperation in the areas of higher education, academia and research to promote mutual understanding between the people of both countries.

Dr Arif Alvi stressed the need for greater economic cooperation among the South Asian countries that would bring greater prosperity to the people of the region. He further stated that developing countries should stay away from the new global polarization and focus on issues like literacy, health, climate change, global warming and improving regional cooperation.

It is pertinent to mention that Senior Civil Servants from Sri Lanka are currently attending an Executive Training Program which aims to impart modern knowledge and techniques to Civil Servants to ensure good governance and efficient service delivery, besides promoting mutual understanding among civil services and academia of Pakistan and Sri Lanka.