Pakistan Army’s Chief of General Staff Meets Sri Lankan Defence Leadership
July 22, 2025The Chief of General Staff of the Pakistan Army, Lieutenant General Syed Aamer Raza, undertook an official visit to Sri Lanka today (Jul 22), during which he paid courtesy calls on the 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.
In his meeting with the Deputy Minister of Defence, the visiting delegation received a warm welcome and engaged in a cordial and constructive dialogue. Discussions centred on strengthening bilateral defence cooperation, with a particular focus on capacity building and the exchange of best practices. Both parties emphasized the significance of enhancing preparedness and resilience, especially in the context of natural disaster response.
Major General Jayasekara (Retd) acknowledged Pakistan’s long-standing support in the form of military training opportunities extended to Sri Lankan personnel, which have 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, highlighting its importance in reinforcing defence sector partnerships across multiple domains.
In a separate meeting, Lieutenant General Raza also paid a courtesy visit to 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 the mutual commitment to deepening defence ties. The Defence Secretary extended his warm regards to the visiting General and expressed appreciation for the on-going collaboration between the two countries' defence establishments.
Both meetings underscored the shared vision of Sri Lanka and Pakistan to strengthen mutual understanding, capacity enhancement and regional security through sustained high-level engagements.
