ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday proposed to set up a joint commission between Pakistan and the United Kingdom to further strengthen the bilateral relations during an interaction with King Charles III and his British counterpart Rishi Sunak on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
The international gathering is a biennial summit meeting of governmental leaders representing all members of the British Commonwealth. Last year, Pakistan’s state minister for foreign affairs Hina Rabbani Khar led her country’s delegation to the meeting held in Rwanda in June.
The Pakistani prime minister also addressed the gathering, calling upon the participants to mark the coronation of King Charles III as a moment “to reimagine and reinvigorate the Commonwealth and infuse it with ever greater synergy and even stronger sense of purpose.”
“The Prime Minister ... expressed deep appreciation for the UK’s generous assistance in the wake of the disastrous floods that struck Pakistan last year,” said a statement issued by his office after his interaction the British king and premier. “He suggested that both countries needed to enhance the bilateral relations in various fields.”
“In this regard,” the statement continued, “the Prime Minister proposed the establishment of a joint commission that would be headed by the leaders of the two countries.”
The statement maintained the king and the British prime minister also showed interest in further strengthening the bilateral relations between the two countries and praised the Pakistani community in the UK for playing a vital role in the development of their adopted homeland.
The Pakistani PM has gone to London to attend the coronation of the king on Saturday.
His visit is also being closely monitored in Pakistan amid growing political instability, as he is expected to hold political consultations with his elder brother and the founding leader of the ruling PML-N party, Nawaz Sharif, who lives in exile in London.
Sharif, a three-time PM, was found guilty in a corruption reference by an accountability court in Pakistan and sent to prison for 10 years in 2018. He began his prison term but was later released on temporary bail on medical grounds.
Sharif left Pakistan in November 2019 to seek medical treatment in London. He has not returned home since.
Pakistan PM proposes joint commission with Britain in meeting with King Charles, Rishi Sunak
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Pakistan PM proposes joint commission with Britain in meeting with King Charles, Rishi Sunak
- The prime minister tells Commonwealth leaders to imbue the international body with a new sense of purpose
- Shehbaz Sharif will also attend the coronation of King Charles III at a grand ceremony in London on Saturday
Pakistan, US discuss boosting anti-narcotics cooperation, pledge stronger ties
- Mohsin Naqvi highlights Pakistan’s ‘zero-tolerance policy,’ says National Narcotics Coordination Center to be set up soon
- ANF operations this year led to seizure of 134 tons of drugs, arrests of over 2,000 suspects, including 75 foreign nationals
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United States vowed to strengthen bilateral ties with a special focus on anti-narcotics cooperation during a meeting between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and acting US ambassador Natalie Baker on Saturday, said an official statement.
The talks covered intelligence sharing, joint efforts to curb drug trafficking and measures to prevent illegal immigration.
Pakistani officials also briefed the meeting on recent operations by the Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) and plans to modernize screening and enforcement at airports.
“We are strictly implementing a zero-tolerance policy on narcotics,” Naqvi said, according to the Interior Ministry.
“Airports are being equipped with the most advanced scanning machines, and detecting drug smuggling at every possible stage is our top priority,” he continued, adding that drugs originating from Afghanistan were reaching dozens of countries and “destroying the younger generation.”
Naqvi said Pakistan would welcome US technical assistance for counter-narcotics efforts and confirmed that a National Narcotics Coordination Center would be established soon.
The statement said Baker offered US support for Pakistan’s work to combat narcotics and prevent illegal immigration, saying Washington attached “special importance” to its relationship with Pakistan and would continue cooperation across sectors.
During the meeting, Pakistani officials presented a detailed briefing on ANF operations, noting that under the annual counter-narcotics campaign, 134 tons of drugs had been seized, 2,001 suspects, including 75 foreign national, arrested and narcotics worth $12.797 billion confiscated.
Authorities also reported arresting 110 Afghan nationals in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh provinces, clearing 40,659 acres of poppy cultivation and maintaining poppy-free status in several regions.
Naqvi said Pakistan regarded ties with the US as important for promoting regional peace and stability and remained committed to strengthening long-standing bilateral relations.
The meeting was also attended by the interior secretary, the ANF director general, the director of enforcement and officials from the US embassy.
