Sri Lanka's president, Maithripala Sirisena praised Pakistan's support in favour of Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council last year during a meeting with Pakistan's new High Commissioner, Major General (Rtd) Syed Shakeel Hussain.

"Your Ambassador in Geneva fought for us as if he was fighting for his own country," said Mr Sirisena, reported Colombo Page.

"Not only the Government of Sri Lanka but the entire nation is grateful to Pakistan for the enormous assistance provided to Sri Lanka to defeat the terrorists."

"Sri Lanka today stands as a peaceful unitary State because of your support," he added.

In March 2014, as the Council was set to vote on a resolution calling for an international inquiry into Sri Lanka regarding mass atrocities committed against the Tamil people, Pakistan's ambassador called for the vote the be deferred at the eleventh hour, arguing that funding needed to be sought.

Pakistan's intervention prompted the Council's president to call for a vote on the deferral of the debate on the resolution - 'Do you agree to adjourn the debate on draft proposal L1/Rev1?'

The Council voted against the Pakistan's motion however, with 25 against, 17 for, and 5 abstentions.

Notably, India supported Pakistan, voting in favour of postponing the vote.

The Philippines and Japan voted against postponing the debate, before going on to abstain from the actual vote.

South Africa, which abstained in the eventual vote, voted in favour of postponing the debate.

Addressing Pakistan's request to vote on a deletion of Operative Paragraph 10, the President of the Council proposed a vote on whether a separate vote should be conducted on the issue - 'Separate vote on OP 10 of L.1/Rev1 (Rule 129)?'.

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