Pakistan Army Chief of General Staff meets Sri Lankan Defence Leaders

The Chief of General Staff of the Pakistan Army, Lieutenant General Syed Aamer Raza, undertook an official visit to Sri Lanka today (July 22), during which he paid courtesy calls on Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), and the Defence Secretary, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), on separate occasions.

Lieutenant General Raza was accompanied by Colonel Muhammad Farooq, Defence Advisor to the High Commission of Pakistan in Sri Lanka, during both engagements.

During his meeting with the Deputy Minister of Defence, the visiting delegation received a warm welcome and engaged in cordial and constructive dialogue. Discussions focused on strengthening bilateral defence cooperation, with particular emphasis on capacity building and the exchange of best practices.

Both parties highlighted the importance of enhancing preparedness and resilience, especially in the context of natural disaster response.

Major General Jayasekara (Retd) acknowledged Pakistan’s long-standing support through military training opportunities extended to Sri Lankan personnel support that has played a pivotal role in professional development and fostering regional collaboration.

He also referenced the recent Sri Lanka–Pakistan Bilateral Defence Dialogue held in Islamabad in April, underscoring its significance in reinforcing defence partnerships across multiple domains.

In a separate meeting, Lieutenant General Raza also paid a courtesy call on the Defence Secretary, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), at the Ministry of Defence. The discussions echoed similar themes of enhancing strategic cooperation, with both sides reaffirming their mutual commitment to deepening defence ties.

The Defence Secretary extended his warm regards to the visiting General and expressed appreciation for the ongoing collaboration between the two countries’ defence establishments.

Both meetings underscored the shared vision of Sri Lanka and Pakistan to strengthen mutual understanding, enhance capacity, and promote regional security through sustained high-level engagement.