Pakistan, EU discuss global security in fifth round of disarmament talks

Pakistan and EU officials hold the 5th round of Dialogue on Non-Proliferation & Disarmament in Islamabad on June 12, 2025. (Photo courtesy: MOFA)
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Updated 14 June 2025
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Pakistan, EU discuss global security in fifth round of disarmament talks

  • Discussions focus on disarmament, non-proliferation of biological and chemical weapons, says Pakistani foreign office
  • Pakistan, European Union agree to hold sixth round of disarmament, non-proliferation talks in Brussels next year

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the European Union this week held the fifth round of non-proliferation and disarmament talks in Islamabad this week, where the two sides discussed enhanced cooperation and implications of emerging technologies on global and regional security, Pakistan’s foreign office said.

The talks between the two sides were held on June 12. The Pakistani delegation was led by Ambassador Tahir Andrabi, the additional foreign secretary for arms control, disarmament and international security. The EU delegation was headed by Ambassador Stephan Klement, the bloc’s special envoy for disarmament and non-proliferation.

The annual dialogue between both sides seeks to ensure global peace and regional stability through non-proliferation of weapons.

“Both sides engaged in a comprehensive exchange of views on issues related to international and regional peace, security, and strategic stability,” a statement from Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said.

“Pakistan side briefed their EU interlocutors on developments in the wake of recent Pakistan-India conflict.”

India and Pakistan both engaged in the worst fighting between the nuclear-armed neighbors in decades last month before Washington brokered a truce on May 10. India accused Pakistan of deploying its nuclear-capable missile against it, a charge Islamabad denied.

The discussions also focused on various dimensions of disarmament and non-proliferation, with particular reference to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), the statement said.

“In addition, the Dialogue reviewed recent trends in Multilateral Export Control Regimes (MECRs) and assessed the implications of Emerging Technologies on global security,” MoFA said. “The avenues for enhanced cooperation in the domain of Science Diplomacy were explored as well.”

The two sides agreed to hold the sixth round of the dialogue in Brussels in 2026.

The Pakistan–EU Dialogue on Non-Proliferation and Disarmament is a key part of the broader strategic engagement between Pakistan and the European Union, which has been institutionalized since 2012.

Pakistan says it attaches high importance to the dialogue, recognizing it as a vital platform for engagement on global and regional security, as well as on disarmament and non-proliferation issues.


Pakistan touts investment potential for US businesses in tech, energy and minerals

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Pakistan touts investment potential for US businesses in tech, energy and minerals

  • The country’s envoy says both sides was committed to anchoring relations in economic cooperation
  • He describes Pakistan’s tech-savvy youth as a competitive asset for businesses needing skilled labor

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States said on Sunday the country offered profitable opportunities for American businesses in information technology, energy and minerals, according to an official statement.

The comments come months after the US and Pakistan reached a trade deal in July, with officials on both sides signaling interest in expanding cooperation into energy, mining, digital infrastructure and other sectors.

Pakistani Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb at the time said the aim was to move “beyond the immediate trade imperative,” adding that the two countries had “come a long way” in their broader strategic partnership.

“Pakistan presents profitable opportunities for US entrepreneurs, particularly in the fast-growing and lucrative IT, energy and minerals sectors,” Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh said, according to the statement.

Sheikh made the remarks during a meeting at the embassy in Washington with a delegation from the Yale School of Management, which plans to visit Pakistan.

He said the leadership in both countries was committed to anchoring relations in economic cooperation and providing an investor-friendly environment for American firms looking to enter a market of more than 250 million people.

The ambassador noted Pakistan was strategically located at the crossroads of South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East, adding that it served as a vital trade corridor offering US businesses connectivity to energy-rich Central Asian states and Gulf markets.

Sheikh highlighted opportunities in tourism, agriculture, manufacturing and information technology, pointing to Pakistan’s large, tech-savvy youth population as a competitive asset for businesses needing skilled labor.

“The success of over 80 US companies already operating profitably in Pakistan bears testimony to the country’s vast economic potential,” he said.

The statement added the delegation thanked the ambassador for the briefing and said it looked forward to the embassy’s support during the visit.