Sri Lanka, Oct. 29 -- Sri Lanka and Pakistan have agreed to explore joint initiatives in marine and coastal tourism to boost the blue economy, create jobs and strengthen regional connectivity through sustainable ocean-based development.

The understanding was reached during a meeting between Sri Lankan Minister for Transport, Highways and Urban Development Bimal Rathnayake and Pakistan Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry in Islamabad.

Minister Junaid Chaudhry had emphasized that the blue economy holds vast potential for both countries, noting that nearly 3 billion people globally depend on ocean-related industries.

He had highlighted Pakistan's 1,000-kilometer coastline as a key economic asset, adding that the g...