London: Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has announced that Pakistan and the United Kingdom have agreed to bolster bilateral relations and expand cooperation in areas such as trade, investment, technology, artificial intelligence, and information technology. Speaking to the media in London, he described his visit to the UK as successful.
According to Radio Pakistan, Deputy Prime Minister Dar held productive meetings with UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, Secretary General of the Commonwealth Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Minister of State for the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan Stephen Doughty, and other officials during his visit. He stated that Pakistan and the UK would collaborate to elevate their strategic partnership, with discussions also addressing security, counterterrorism, economic cooperation, and regional issues.
Dar highlighted that Pakistan's diplomatic engagement has significantly strengthened, evidenced by the country's election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2025-26 term with 182 votes. Additionally, Pakistan is set to assume the chairmanship of both the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Economic Cooperation Organization.
Further, he mentioned that the Prime Minister is scheduled to visit Bishkek to take over the chairmanship of the SCO and attend the SCO Council of Heads of State Summit. Regarding economic matters, Dar emphasized that Pakistan's economy has attained macroeconomic stability, and the government is now prioritizing growth, job creation, and increased per-capita income.
On the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the Deputy Prime Minister stated that the next phase would emphasize industrial cooperation, technology transfer, agriculture, exports, and business-to-business partnerships. Addressing regional issues, he reiterated Pakistan's firm stance against any unilateral changes to the Indus Waters Treaty and stressed that resolving the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is essential for lasting peace in South Asia.
Regarding Afghanistan, Dar expressed Pakistan's desire for a stable and peaceful neighbor and urged Kabul to ensure its territory is not used for terrorist activities against Pakistan. He affirmed Pakistan's commitment to constructive engagement with Afghanistan on security, trade, economic cooperation, and other mutual interests.