ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday proposed to set up a joint commission between Pakistan and the United Kingdom to further strengthen the bilateral relations during an interaction with King Charles III and his British counterpart Rishi Sunak on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
The international gathering is a biennial summit meeting of governmental leaders representing all members of the British Commonwealth. Last year, Pakistan’s state minister for foreign affairs Hina Rabbani Khar led her country’s delegation to the meeting held in Rwanda in June.
The Pakistani prime minister also addressed the gathering, calling upon the participants to mark the coronation of King Charles III as a moment “to reimagine and reinvigorate the Commonwealth and infuse it with ever greater synergy and even stronger sense of purpose.”
“The Prime Minister ... expressed deep appreciation for the UK’s generous assistance in the wake of the disastrous floods that struck Pakistan last year,” said a statement issued by his office after his interaction the British king and premier. “He suggested that both countries needed to enhance the bilateral relations in various fields.”
“In this regard,” the statement continued, “the Prime Minister proposed the establishment of a joint commission that would be headed by the leaders of the two countries.”
The statement maintained the king and the British prime minister also showed interest in further strengthening the bilateral relations between the two countries and praised the Pakistani community in the UK for playing a vital role in the development of their adopted homeland.
The Pakistani PM has gone to London to attend the coronation of the king on Saturday.
His visit is also being closely monitored in Pakistan amid growing political instability, as he is expected to hold political consultations with his elder brother and the founding leader of the ruling PML-N party, Nawaz Sharif, who lives in exile in London.
Sharif, a three-time PM, was found guilty in a corruption reference by an accountability court in Pakistan and sent to prison for 10 years in 2018. He began his prison term but was later released on temporary bail on medical grounds.
Sharif left Pakistan in November 2019 to seek medical treatment in London. He has not returned home since.
Pakistan PM proposes joint commission with Britain in meeting with King Charles, Rishi Sunak
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Pakistan PM proposes joint commission with Britain in meeting with King Charles, Rishi Sunak
- The prime minister tells Commonwealth leaders to imbue the international body with a new sense of purpose
- Shehbaz Sharif will also attend the coronation of King Charles III at a grand ceremony in London on Saturday
Sri Lanka seal gritty T20 win over Pakistan to level series
- In a contest trimmed to 12 overs a side, Sri Lanka scored 160 runs before choking Pakistan to 146-8
- The series saw the visitors clinch the opener by six wickets before rain washed out the second game
Dambulla: Sri Lanka eked out a hard fought 14-run victory over Pakistan in the third T20 at rain-hit Dambulla on Sunday, easing their batting jitters and squaring the three-match series 1-1.
The series, a warm-up for the T20 World Cup with Pakistan set to play all their matches in Sri Lanka due to political tensions with nuclear-armed neighbors India, saw the visitors clinch the opener by six wickets before rain washed out the second game.
“We were a bit worried about our batting and I’m glad we addressed that today,” said Wanindu Hasaranga, who walked away with both Player of the Match and Player of the Series honors.
“The bowlers did a good job too. The ball was wet and it wasn’t easy. We tried to bowl wide and slow and asked them to take risks.”
Hasaranga took four wickets in the game and in the process completed 150 wickets in T20Is.
In a contest trimmed to 12 overs a side, Sri Lanka muscled their way to a competitive 160 before choking Pakistan to 146-8.
Having been bowled out inside 20 overs in the series opener, Sri Lanka needed a statement with the bat and duly ticked every box after being put in.
The top order laid the platform and the middle order applied the finishing touches.
Wicket-keeper Kusal Mendis made hay under the Power Play, blasting 30 off 16 balls while Dhananjaya de Silva (22 off 15) and Charith Asalanka (21 off 13) kept the scoreboard ticking.
Skipper Dasun Shanaka then swung the momentum decisively, clubbing 34 off just nine deliveries, peppered with five towering sixes.
The sixth-wicket stand between Shanaka and Janith Liyanage produced 52 runs in just 15 balls and proved the turning point, shifting the game firmly Sri Lanka’s way.
Pakistan came out swinging in reply, racing to 50 in just 19 balls with captain Salman Agha hammering 45 off 12 balls, including five fours and three sixes.
But once the field spread, Sri Lanka tightened the screws, applied the choke and forced the asking rate to spiral.
“It was a good game of cricket,” Agha said.
“We conceded too many runs, but our batting effort was good. Unfortunately, we fell short. We know we are going to play all our World Cup games in Sri Lanka and it’s important that we played in similar conditions,” he added.
