Pakistani Army Chief arrives in Sri Lanka

Pakistani Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani arrived in Sri Lanka this afternoon for a three-day visit on an invitation form his Sri Lankan counterpart.


General Kayani who arrived at the Katunayake Bandaranaike International Airport in an Pakistani Air Force plane was accorded a warm welcome by the Sri Lankan army chief Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya.

During his stay in Sri Lanka, General Kayani is scheduled to meet President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Prime Minister D.M Jayaratne, External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris, Secretary Defence Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, and the tri-forces commanders.

However, the President has left for the United States this morning on a private visit.

General Kayani is scheduled to deliver a one-hour address to the undergraduates at Defence Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC) at Sapugaskanda.

His visit follws the visit of Chief of the Naval Staff of Pakistan Navy Admiral Noman Bashir who attended the Sri Lanka Navy's 60th anniversary celebrations in early December last year.