ISLAMABAD, May 13: Pakistan High Commissioner Bashir Wahli in a ceremony held in Colombo handed over a statue of ‘Fasting Buddha’ as a goodwill gesture from the country to the chief of Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihariya on Saturday.

The step was taken in response to a request by Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse during his recent visit to Pakistan.

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera and Culture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardane attended the ceremony.

Special arrangements for shifting the statue from the National Museum in Lahore to Sri Lanka were made by the government.

The statue will remain on display for two days on the eve of national Buddhist festival of Vesak before its return to the country.—Online