President Asif Ai Zardari has said that Pakistan and UK need to make sustained efforts to raise the bilateral trade to £2.5 billion by 2015. This he said during his meeting with William Jefferson Hague, UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, who called on him along with his delegation here at Aiwan-e-Sadr Tuesday.
The UK delegation included UK’s High Commissioner Adam Thomson, Director South Asia and Afghanistan Neil Crompton, Political Counselor Susan Hyland, Head of DFID Pakistan George Turkington and other high ranking British officials.
Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, Advisor to prime minister on Interior Rehman Malik, Secretary General. Salman Faruqui, Spokesperson Senator Farhatullah Babar, Senator Sughra Imam, Acting Foreign Secretary Fouzia Sana, Secretary Economic Affairs Division Dr. Waqar Masood and Additional Secretary Foreign Affairs Asif Durrani assisted the President Zardari from Pakistan side.
During the meeting the matters pertaining to bilateral relations, UK’s assistance to Pakistan, trade, war against terror and the regional situation was discussed.
President expressed satisfaction over the progress made so far under the umbrella of Enhanced Strategic Dialogue by saying that it was a manifestation of both countries to enhance ties with each other.
He said that Pakistan offered great opportunities to the British investor to invest in various areas. He said we need to encourage exchange of businessmen from the two countries to further strengthen our economic interactions.
The President also thanked the British Government for its support and advocating Autonomous Trade Preference for Pakistan in the EU in wake of 2010 floods.
He expressed the hope that UK would continue supporting early completion of EU’s internal process. He said that we greatly appreciate UK’s advocacy of Pakistan’s case for greater market access. It is important that Pakistan is included in GSP+ scheme by 2014, the President said.
On UK’s development assistance of £1.4 billion spanning over four years (2011-2015) in the education and the health sectors, the President expressed the hope that enhancement of funds for education will go a long way in addressing the challenge of militancy and extremism. He welcomed increase in size and scope of DFID program in Pakistan especially in the less developed regions like Balochistan.
Discussing regional situation, the President reiterated Pakistan’s principled stance of lending all support to an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned solution of the problems in Afghanistan.
He said that we support an all inclusive reconciliation process in the neighboring country. The President said that a strong, peaceful and stable Afghanistan was not only in the interests of Afghans but also for Pakistan.
The President also underscored the need for the international community to address the issue of narcotics on priority as drug trade was the major source of funding for the militants and extremists. He said that the SCO Summit in Beijing last week he had offered to host an international conference of SCO countries on narcotics.
The President also congratulated the people and the Government of UK on Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee, the 60th anniversary of accession to the throne.
British Foreign Secretary thanked the President for meeting and assured that UK would continue to stand besides the people of Pakistan in their fight against militancy and their efforts to promote democracy and democratic culture in the country.
He said that UK considers Pakistan as a strong friend and a partner and would continue to provide every possible assistance to the people of Pakistan.
