Sri Lankan delegation briefed on Pakistan’s Gandhara Buddhist legacy, religious tourism

A 20-member Sri Lankan delegation, comprising academics, Buddhist monks, religious leaders and media representatives, visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here on Tuesday.

Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Sajjad Haider Khan and Director General Strategic Communications Tariq Wazeer briefed the delegation on Pakistan’s rich cultural and religious heritage, particularly its Gandhara Buddhist legacy, religious tourism opportunities and initiatives such as the Kartarpur Corridor.

Ambassador Khan also highlighted the longstanding friendship between Pakistan and Sri Lanka and warmly welcomed Sri Lankan visitors to Pakistan.

Discussions covered several potential areas of cooperation, including academic partnerships, enhanced connectivity, updated MoUs, joint archaeological explorations and cultural exchanges.

Ambassador Khan appreciated the contributions of the Coordinator of the Prime Minister’s Taskforce on Gandhara – Cradle of Buddhism Strategy Imran Shaukat, and the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Pakistan, who also attended the meeting.

The visit reinforced shared efforts to strengthen people-to-people ties and promote the two countries’ common cultural and civilizational heritage.