Pakistan, UK agree to deepen cooperation in security, trade, migration

On Thursday, Pakistan and the United Kingdom announced plans to bolster their cooperation across various sectors, including security, law enforcement, migration, trade, and investment, according to a statement from Pakistan's Foreign Office (FO). Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met with UK Minister of State for Security Dan Jarvis in Islamabad, where they assessed existing bilateral relations and committed to "further deepening cooperation" in the aforementioned areas.

The two leaders also discussed regional and global developments, as well as potential future meetings under the R4 + E4 framework, which refers to a meeting of two regional groups in Istanbul the previous month.

Earlier in the week, Pakistan and the UK expressed shared concerns about terrorism emanating from Afghanistan during their annual bilateral counter-terrorism dialogue in Islamabad. Both sides engaged in detailed discussions about the evolving regional and global security landscape, focusing on the threats posed by terrorist entities, including transnational terrorist networks.

They emphasized the urgent need for a stable, secure Afghanistan as a foundation for lasting peace and prosperity throughout the region. For several years, Islamabad and London have maintained the Enhanced Strategic Dialogue, a framework established in 2011 that has expanded to encompass areas such as trade, economic growth, cultural cooperation, security, and education.