ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif teleph­oned Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, and both leaders agreed to continue the long-standing cooperation in areas of mu­­tual interest, further stren­gthening the bilateral ties between the two countries.

According to the PM office, the prime minister emphasised the need to work together to fight poverty, promote economic growth and development for the benefit of the entire region, the PM Office’s media wing said in a press release.

He also expressed his desire to promote peace and enhance connectivity through regional cooperation.

Separately, on his Twitter handle, the prime minister said the bilateral ties between Pakis­tan and Sri Lanka were underpinned by reservoirs of goodwill and good neighbourliness between the two countries.

“I had the pleasure of speaking to H.E. Ranil Wickremesinghe, Presi­dent of Sri Lanka, earlier today to thank him for his support to Pakistan during my meeting with MD IMF,” he added.

Over the decades, the prime minister further said that Pakistan and Sri Lan­ka have been close allies and friends, standing by each other through thick and thin.Later, PM Sheh­baz met Water and Power Develop­ment Autho­rity Chairman retired Lt-Gen Sajjad Ghani and discussed overall projects of the authority and demand and supply of the electricity in the country specially in the current summer.