Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, speaking last night at a special lecture event on Sri Lanka-Pakistan relations, discussed future plans for Sri Lanka and Pakistan’s trade relations.

The Pakistani prime minister added that the the two countries have agreed on the inclusion of services and investment chapters in the bilateral FTA and this would enable the two companies to form a joint ventures for export to third countries. He added that given the strategic location of the two countries, the service sector also holds a lot of potential that needs to be exploited.

He went on to say that an exchange of business delegations and holding trade fairs would play a crucial role in realising this goal. PM Sharif the possibility of setting up a joint investment company and that the possibility of a currency swap arrangement with Sri Lanka is also being examined.

Sri Lankan Minister of Foreign Affairs Mangala Samaraweera noted that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s visit to Sri Lanka comes at a very propitious moment as most Sri Lankans are preparing to celebrate the first anniversary of what is now known as the Rainbow Revolution that ushered in the Sirisena Presidency one year ago on Jan. 8, 2015.

The minister added that over the last year, Sri Lanka has embarked on a new political trajectory of democracy and good governance, similar to how Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif changed the political trajectory of Pakistan two years ago.

The leaders were speaking at an event was organised by the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies.

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