ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar discussed the prospects of increasing investment from the United Kingdom, along with expanding bilateral trade volume, during a detailed interaction with a group of British-Pakistani members of parliament in London, according to an official statement released on Sunday.
Dar embarked on his first five-day official visit to Britain last week following the change of government in the UK, where the Labour Party won the general elections in July and returned to power after 14 years.
He addressed a wide range of issues with senior administration officials in London, including the resumption of Pakistan International Airlines flights to the UK, which he emphasized as a “major priority” for the government.
The last elections in the UK also saw 15 members of Pakistani heritage elected to parliament, many of whom met the deputy prime minister at a dinner hosted by Pakistan’s High Commissioner, Dr. Muhammad Faisal, at the diplomatic facility.
“The Deputy Prime Minister congratulated the newly elected British-Pakistani Members of Parliament,” said the statement released by his office, adding their success in the elections reflected the strength of British democracy and success of its citizens of Pakistani origin.
“The Deputy Prime Minister asked the Members of Parliament for suggestions on how the government could draw more British foreign direct investment in Pakistan and increase the bilateral trade volume,” it added.
He briefed the British-Pakistani lawmakers on his government’s roadmap for the economic revival of the country, acknowledging that security issues over the past several years had caused significant challenges for Pakistan.
However, he emphasized that the government was committed to steering Pakistan back toward economic growth and development. Dar explained the Pakistani administration had to implement politically unpopular measures, noting that they were gradually starting to yield positive results.
He mentioned that inflation had been reduced to single digits and the current account deficit had been brought under control, along with stabilizing the currency.
Dar also highlighted the widespread institutional support for economic reforms and noted that the Special Investment Facilitation Council, established by the government last year, was attracting foreign investors to Pakistan’s energy, mining, information technology and agriculture sectors.
The deputy prime minister further stressed the importance of young British-Pakistanis staying connected with their roots and noted that the Pakistani government had introduced a new visa-free policy to encourage Pakistani expatriates to visit the country.
