Pak, Sri Lanka explore cooperation in Buddhist heritage, religious tourism

ISLAMABAD - A 20-member Sri Lankan delegation comprising academics, Buddhist monks, religious leaders and media representatives visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday to explore avenues for strengthening cultural, religious and academic cooperation between Pakistan and Sri Lanka . The delegation was briefed by Foreign Office spokesperson Ambassador Sajjad Haider Khan and Director General Strategic Communications Tariq Wazeer on Pakistan's rich cultural and religious heritage, with particular emphasis on its Gandhara Buddhist legacy, religious tourism potential and initiatives such as the Kartarpur Corridor. Ambassador Sajjad Haider Khan highlighted the longstanding friendship between Pakistan and Sri Lanka and warmly welcomed Sri Lankan visitors, underscoring Pakistan's commitment to promoting religious tourism and facilitating greater people-to-people exchanges. The discussions focused on expanding bilateral cooperation through academic partnerships, improved connectivity, updating existing memorandums of understanding (MoUs), joint archaeological explorations and cultural exchanges. Ambassador Khan also acknowledged the contributions of Prime Minister's Taskforce Gandhara Cradle of Buddhism Strategy, Mr. Imran Shaukat, and Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Pakistan, both of whom attended the meeting. The visit underscored the shared commitment of Pakistan and Sri Lanka to strengthening people-to-people relations and promoting their common cultural and civilizational heritage, while opening new avenues for collaboration in education, archaeology, religious tourism and cultural diplomacy.