FM Dar, UK ministers discuss bilateral ties, regional security
March 22, 2024
- UK side assures overcoming hurdles to resume PIA flights to Britain.
- Dar wishes complete health for King Charles III, Princess of Wales.
- Lord Cameron, Lord Ahmad, Minister Mitchell invited to visit Pakistan.
LONDON: In high-level engagements with the British leadership, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held separate meetings with UK Minister of State for South Asia and Commonwealth Lord Tariq Ahmad as well as Minister of State for Development Andrew Mitchell at the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office in London on Friday.
Pakistan-UK relations, regional and global security, Pakistan's role at the UN and other multilateral forums as well as Pakistan's economic and development vision came under discussion.
Lord Ahmad, in his meeting with Dar, felicitated him on assuming the position of foreign minister, and expressed the desire to work closely with the new government going forward.
The two sides underscored the deep bonds of friendship and amity that exist between Pakistan, and the UK. Next steps for further deepening of relations including leveraging the untapped potential of the British-Pakistani diaspora to further expand trade and investment opportunities, came under discussion.
In response to FM Dar's call for early resumption of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights to the Britain, the UK side assured that it was working closely at the technical level to overcome the hurdles, and help expedite resumption of flights at the earliest possible.
The foreign minister assured the UK high-ups that all technical hurdles on Pakistan's side would be removed at the earliest, enabling the state-owned airline to resume flights to the Britain.
With reference to Afghanistan, the Minister of State for South Asia thanked Dar for Pakistan's continued support on resettlement of Afghan nationals. The foreign minister apprised him about the current situation.
FM Dar expressed wishes for complete health and recovery for His Majesty, King Charles III as well as the Princess of Wales.
The foreign minister extended cordial invitations to Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron, Minister Lord Ahmad and Minister Mitchell to visit Pakistan, which was greatly received.
