Pakistan, UK to strengthen counter terrorism, trade ties
12 June, 2013
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| ISLAMABAD: British High Commissioner Adam Thomson called on Federal Minister for Interior Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan in Islamabad. |
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ISLAMABAD: The British government has expressed the resolve to further improve bilateral ties with Pakistan while working together to increase trade between the two countries.
British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Adam Thomson called on Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and discussed matters of mutual interest. He conveyed that building on Pakistan's traditional cooperation with the UK Government on Trade,
Economic growth and education will be a high-priority for the British government.
The Interior Minister while conveying Pakistan's commitment towards furthering the bilateral relations with the British government said the government was working on prioritising its interaction in different areas of cooperation, such as counter terrorism, immigration issues, organised crime and security. The Minister emphasised that he and his team would engage with the British working groups on a "time-bound schedule".
Certain areas would have more preference over others and special task groups would be formed to resolve the gamut of bilateral issues.
The British High Commissioner pointed out that their government had high expectations from Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and the UK Government considers it a priority that democracy flourishes in Pakistan. He viewed that with a clear majority in the Centre and the Province of Punjab, the new government is ensured of a sound start. The British government viewed Pakistan as a major player in the region.
Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan emphasised that PML-N government would like to build on the 60 years relationship with Britain to the mutual benefit of both the countries and to extend the cooperation beyond the current bilateral issues of terrorism, drugs, immigration and money laundering to a broader spectrum. He said the cooperation should also extend on day-to-day civic issues, which shall be short-listed by him and a request shall be made for, institutional support. The Minister also conveyed that in keeping with the help extended by the British government in Punjab on forensics expertise and laboratories he would make a similar request for helping out the federal government. The Minister also expressed his desire to make Islamabad a model city and then replicating the model in other provincial capitals.
The Minister in the end expressed his resolve to work on a fast track basis with the British government and to follow up on issues with senior level engagement.
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