ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar will leave on an official five-day visit to the UK today, Wednesday, where he will meet top British officials as well as members of the Pakistani expat community, the foreign office said.
Pakistan and the UK, which is home to a large Pakistani diaspora, have trade, defense and education ties, among engagement in other areas.
“Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, will undertake an official visit to the United Kingdom from 4-8 September 2024,” the foreign office said in a statement.
In the UK, Dar will meet his counterpart UK Deputy PM Angela Rayner and hold talks with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Affairs, David Lammy.
He will also engage with UK parliamentarians and representatives of the British-Pakistani community.
Pakistan is currently trying to engage with foreign governments and lenders to draw foreign investment as well as seek loan rollovers as the South Asian country struggles to meet external financial needs to get approval for a $7 billion IMF bailout loan.
Pakistan and the IMF reached an agreement for the 37-month loan program in July. The IMF has said the program is subject to approval from its executive board and obtaining “timely confirmation of necessary financing assurances from Pakistan’s development and bilateral partners.”
Pakistani deputy PM to leave on five-day visit to UK today
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Pakistani deputy PM to leave on five-day visit to UK today
- Ishaq Dar to meet British counterpart, UK parliamentarians, Pakistani diaspora community
- Pakistan and Britain, a former colonial power, share trade, education and defense ties
Pakistan engages Saudi Arabia, China in bid to ease surging Middle East tensions
- Pakistan’s foreign minister stresses need for de-escalation in conversations with Chinese, Saudi counterparts
- Tensions in the Middle East continue to remain high as conflict between US, Israel and Iran intensifies
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar spoke to the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and China on Tuesday, stressing the importance of diplomatic engagement to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East as the Iran war intensifies.
Pakistan has constantly engaged regional countries in efforts to broker a ceasefire in the Middle East, after the US and Isreal launched coordinated strikes against Iran on Feb. 28.
Iran launched fresh attacks on Gulf countries on Tuesday morning, where it has targeted US military bases in recent weeks. In addition to firing missiles and drones at Israel and American bases in the region, Iran has also been targeting energy infrastructure which, combined with its stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz, has sent oil prices soaring worldwide.
Dar spoke to Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan to discuss developments in the Middle East and ongoing deliberations at the UN Security Council, Pakistan’s foreign office said in a statement.
“DPM/FM shared Pakistan’s perspective, underscoring the importance of continued coordination and diplomatic engagement to support de-escalation and promote peace and stability across the region and beyond,” the statement said.
Dar, who also serves as Pakistan’s foreign minister, spoke to Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi over the telephone separately. The two discussed the evolving regional situation and broader global developments.
Dar underscored the need to ease tensions in the Middle East and the wider region during the conversation, the foreign office said.
Yi appreciated Pakistan’s constructive efforts aimed at promoting de-escalation and stability in the region, it added.
“The two leaders stressed the importance of de-escalation and emphasized the need to pursue dialogue and diplomacy in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter,” the foreign office’s statement said.
The conflict in the Middle East has hit Pakistan hard as well, forcing Islamabad to hike petrol and diesel prices by Rs55 per liter last Friday.
Pakistan’s government has also announced a set of austerity measures, which include closing schools and cutting down on government expenditures, as it evaluates petrol stocks and looks for alternative supply routes.
