LAHORE A parliamentary delegation from Sri Lanka, led by Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa, met Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif here on Wednesday. Matters of mutual interest were discussed in the meeting. Provincial Minister Malik Nadeem Kamran, Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Member Provincial Assembly Salman Rafique and Chairman Planning and Development Javed Aslam were also present in the meeting. Talking to the Sri Lankan Parliamentary delegation, the CM said Sri Lanka was a friendly country of Pakistan and relations between the two countries were strengthening with the passage of time. He said Sri Lanka had also faced terrorism, but it had tackled this issue successfully. Pakistan is facing the serious challenge of terrorism. However, the whole nation is united to root out this scourge and the country will soon be made a haven of peace. Elimination of terrorism is essential for national progress and development and the whole Pakistani nation is rewriting history with its sacrifices in the war on terror, he added, while referring to the steps taken for the progress of the country and the welfare of the masses. The Punjab government is implementing a comprehensive programme for the elimination of poverty, ignorance and unemployment. Maximum resources are being spent on the provision of the basic amenities to the people, and the government is attaching top priority to the uplift of education sector and revolutionary measures are being taken for the promotion of education, he said. Chamal Rajapaksa said Sri Lanka and Pakistan had deep rooted relations, which would strengthen in future. The Sri Lankan delegation included Minister Disaster Management Mohamed Fowzie Abdul Hameed, Members Parliament Abdul Hameed Mohamed Azwer, Kamala Beatrice Ranatunga, Anoma Gamage, Vijayakala Maheswaran, Deputy Secretary General Parliament Waruna Bandara Dhammlka, Coordinating Secretary Mrs Lekshika Naumi Rajapaksa, Mrs Roshini Samanthika Karusaratne and others.