The High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Pakistan, Rear Admiral (Rtd) Fred Senevirathne, called on Federal Minister for National Heritage and Culture Division, Mr. Aurangzeb Khan Khichi, on Thursday to discuss matters relating to cultural cooperation, heritage preservation, and the promotion of religious tourism.
The Sri Lankan High Commissioner was accompanied by Most Venerable Thebo, a distinguished Buddhist monk from Sri Lanka. Welcoming the delegation, the Federal Minister said that Pakistan has opened its doors to Sri Lankan brothers and sisters, particularly the Buddhist community, to visit Pakistan and explore its rich Buddhist heritage.
He emphasized that Pakistan remains committed to facilitating religious and cultural tourism, especially for countries with historical and spiritual ties to Gandhara Civilization.
Rear Admiral (Rtd) Fred Senevirathne appreciated the gesture and stated that it would be his pleasure to further strengthen bilateral relations during his tenure, while creating more opportunities for Buddhist communities and cultural collaboration between the two countries.
The Federal Minister remarked that Sri Lanka holds great importance for Pakistan as a time-tested and valued friend. He stressed the need to enhance people-to-people contacts as a means of deepening mutual understanding and strengthening long-term cooperation.
Most Venerable Thebo expressed gratitude to Pakistan for preserving the heritage of Buddha and acknowledged the country’s efforts in safeguarding Gandhara heritage sites.
The Minister assured the delegation that Pakistan would continue to expand its efforts in this regard and welcomed suggestions from the Sri Lankan side to further improve protection and rehabilitation protocols for heritage sites.
During the meeting, both sides discussed the establishment of a Gandhara Corner in Islamabad aimed at preserving and showcasing Gandhara artifacts. The initiative was viewed as an important step toward promoting shared cultural history.
The Federal Minister noted that Gandhara Civilization is a defining identity of the region and a matter of pride for Pakistan. He added that Pakistan enjoys brotherly relations with Buddhist countries and remains committed to promoting these ties on a priority basis.
He further observed that while cultural traditions may differ, the region is shared, and collective efforts in heritage preservation serve not only Pakistan but the wider region.
Most Venerable Thebo expressed happiness over his visit to Pakistan and underlined the importance of increasing awareness in Sri Lanka regarding Pakistan’s contributions to preserving Gandhara heritage.
Secretary National Heritage and Culture Division, Mr. Asad Rahman Gilani, briefed the delegation on measures being undertaken for the preservation of Gandhara Civilization. He informed them that under the leadership of Federal Minister Aurangzeb Khan Khichi, Pakistan has successfully repatriated around 1,000 artifacts from Italy, while efforts are ongoing to bring back thousands more from Australia.
The Minister and Secretary also highlighted Pakistan’s rich Buddhist heritage, including internationally recognized sites at Taxila, Takht-i-Bahi, Swat Valley, Thul, and other locations, all of which are being carefully preserved and maintained.
The delegation was invited to visit additional Buddhist heritage sites as well as the Islamabad Museum to experience its artifacts and the newly established state-of-the-art Immersive Gallery.
The Federal Minister also underscored the importance of enhancing cultural exchange programs between Pakistan and Sri Lanka to further strengthen the longstanding friendship between the two brotherly nations.
