Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday said that Pakistan and United Kingdom enjoy close bilateral relations which, are deeply embedded in history and tradition.
The prime minister expressed these views in a meeting with the members of a British delegation, headed by British Defence State Secretary Mr Philip Hammonds, which called on him at the prime minister’s house.
Nawaz said that the relations between the two states needed to be taken to the next level by mutual cooperation in the fields of defence, science, technology and trade.
The prime minister emphasized on the need to increase the level of defence cooperation between the defence forces of the two countries.
During the meeting, post-withdrawal Afghanistan scenarios also came under discussion. The prime minister said that Pakistan wants to see a peaceful and stable Afghanistan which is essential for a peaceful and prosperous Pakistan.
The prime minister also thanked the British government for extending support to Pakistan’s case for GPS-Plus status that would benefit in terms of increase in trade volume.
Defence Production Federal Minister Rana Tanveer Hussein, Special Assistant to the PM Tariq Fatimi and other senior officials of the prime minister’s office were also present during the meeting.
Speaking on this occasion, Phillip Hammonds acknowledged the sacrifices made by the Pakistan Army and people against the war-on-terror.
In a separate meeting with Rana Tanveer Hussain, the delegation congratulated him on assuming the charge of Defence Production’s federal minister and added that the positive approach of the new government will help the region attain peace and stability.
Rana Tanveer said that Pakistan’s defence industry is on a thriving path of indigenization and it has a capability to offer the United Kingdom state-of-the-art defence items produced in the local defence industry.