Pakistan, UK agree to increase cooperation at multilateral fora 

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy (center left) calls on Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, in Islamabad on May 16, 2025. (PTV/File)
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Updated 01 June 2025
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Pakistan, UK agree to increase cooperation at multilateral fora 

  • Pakistan foreign minister speaks to British Foreign Secretary David Lammy over the phone 
  • Both agree to meet on sidelines of high-level UN events later this month, says state media

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his British counterpart David Lammy on Sunday agreed to enhance cooperation in multilateral fora, particularly the UN Security Council, state-run media reported. 

Pakistan and the UK enjoy cordial relations. These ties have translated into the two nations harboring cooperation in military, economic, and educational sectors, with the latter hosting a large Pakistani diaspora. 

The conversation between the two diplomats follows Lammy’s first official visit to Pakistan last month, where he met the country’s top officials following Pakistan’s dangerous military standoff with nuclear-armed rival India. 

“They exchanged views on further enhancing bilateral cooperation in multilateral fora, particularly at the UN Security Council,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported. 

The state media said both leaders agreed to maintain contact. They also agreed to meet on the sidelines of the high-level events scheduled to be held later this month at the United Nations, New York, the state broadcaster said. 

The UK is one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council along with China, US, Russia and France. 

The Security Council seeks to maintain international peace and security in accordance with the principles of the UN and investigates any dispute or situation which might lead to international friction. 

The UK was one of several countries actively engaged in restoring calm between India and Pakistan after the two neighbors were engaged in conflict for four days last month. 

India blamed Pakistan for being involved in an April 22 attack on a tourist resort in the part of Kashmir administered by Delhi. Islamabad denied involvement and called for an international probe into the incident. 

After India struck multiple Pakistani sites on May 6 with missiles, describing them as “terrorist camps,” the two sides traded missiles, artillery and drone strikes for four days before Washington brokered a ceasefire between the two on May 10. 

Tensions between both nations continue to persist, with Pakistan warning it would respond to any further violations of its sovereignty by India. 


Pakistan says nine militants killed in security operations in northwest

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Pakistan says nine militants killed in security operations in northwest

  • The intelligence-based operations were conducted in Tank and Lakki Marwat districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
  • Military says the counterterrorism campaign is being pursued under the framework of the National Action Plan

PESHAWAR: Security forces in Pakistan said on Saturday they killed nine militants belonging to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in two intelligence-based operations in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Pakistan refers to fighters of the TTP, an umbrella group of various armed factions, as “khwarij,” a term from early Islamic history used to describe an extremist sect that rebelled against authority. The military also alleges the group receives arms and funding from the Indian government, a charge New Delhi denies.

The two operations were carried out on Dec. 5 in the volatile districts of Tank and Lakki Marwat, according to a statement from the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

“On reported presence of khwarij, an intelligence-based operation was conducted by the Security Forces in Tank District,” the statement said. “During the conduct of operation, own troops effectively engaged the khwarij location and after an intense fire exchange, seven khwarij were sent to hell.”

“Another intelligence-based operation was conducted in Lakki Marwat District,” it added. “In ensuing fire exchange, two more khwarij were effectively neutralized by the security forces.”

ISPR said weapons and ammunition were recovered from the militants, whom it described as “Indian sponsored” and accused of involvement in attacks on security personnel, law enforcement agencies and civilians.

It said follow-up “sanitization operations” were under way as part of the country’s counterterrorism campaign under Azm-e-Istehkam, approved by the Federal Apex Committee of the National Action Plan, which aims to eliminate what it called foreign-supported militant threats in the country.