ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that Pakistan wanted peace and stability in Afghanistan as it has suffered immensely on account of the prevailing situation in that country. He said this on Monday while talking to British High Commissioner Thomas Drew, who called on him to congratulate the PM on his assumption of the office.
The prime minister said that Pakistan had the greatest stake in Afghanistan’s return to normalcy, but its commitment to peace and stability in the region was underscored. He added that Pakistan had carried out a successful campaign and continued its fight against terrorism inside the country and made enormous sacrifices in the process.
The high commissioner conveyed greetings of British Prime Minister Theresa May and underscored that in United Kingdom (UK), Pakistan had a great friend. He added that the British prime minister also knew Pakistan well and had visited the country three times. PM Abbasi thanked the high commissioner for conveying the message from Theresa May.
The prime minister and the high commissioner discussed regional situation – including Afghanistan, enhancing bilateral trade and the significant role of the Pakistani community in the UK. The envoy also highlighted the importance of trade and informed the PM that new British Trade Minister Greg Hands would visit Pakistan in the coming months to discuss the increasing trade opportunities with Pakistan after ‘Brexit’.
The envoy also assured that the UK was committed to supporting Pakistan in its efforts for a peaceful and stable region, and he recognised the sacrifices made by Pakistan’s law enforcement agencies and military. He acknowledged that the operations carried out by Pakistan had helped in cleaning up large parts of tribal areas of terrorists and their networks.
