Pakistan, Sri Lanka to swap prisoners

ISLAMABAD: Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has held successful negotiations with Sri Lankan authorities to free 43 Pakistani citizens imprisoned in different jails of Sri Lanka, the Interior Ministry said.

The 43 Pakistani citizens would be sent back to Pakistan in early July this year.

In a meeting with Sri Lankan High Commissioner Admiral Ravindra C Wijegunaratne on Friday, it was agreed to take immediate steps to return the prisoners of both countries to their respective country.

The Interior Ministry had been working with the Sri Lankan authorities since April to bring back the Pakistani prisoners, a spokesman for the ministry said.

The Sri Lankan HC assured all possible cooperation in this regard. Naqvi thanked Admiral Ravindra for his support for the repatriation of the prisoners.

The arrangements for the return of Pakistani prisoners will be finalised in few days, Naqvi said in a statement.

The minister said that there were strong relations between Sri Lanka and Pakistan over the past seven decades. He said that Pakistan wants to further enhance mutual relations in various fields with Sri Lanka.

Issues of mutual interest and the development of bilateral relations were also discussed in the meeting. Both sides agreed to increase cooperation in the field of security and counter-narcotics.