Mariam Ellahi

ISLAMABAD: Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski has said Poland views Pakistan as an increasingly important country on the global stage.&nbsp;He made the remarks during a joint press stakeout with his Pakistani counterpart, Ishaq Dar, in Islamabad on Thursday. Sikorski is on a two-day official visit to Pakistan, his second in 14 years.&nbsp;During delegation-level talks, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen cooperation in trade, energy, education, and science and technology. Two Memorandums of Understanding were signed. One on regular bilateral consultations and another between think tanks of both countries to promote research collaboration.&nbsp;Dar said Pakistan attaches &ldquo;great importance&rdquo; to its ties with Poland, calling it a key European Union partner and recalling the contribution of Polish pilots and engineers to the early development of Pakistan&rsquo;s Air Force.&nbsp;Sikorski said Poland wishes to deepen cooperation in trade, finance, mining, and water management, adding that a Polish oil and gas company is already investing nearly half a billion dollars in Pakistan. He also praised the Pakistani diaspora in Poland, noting that the country &ldquo;encourages legal migration and education-based exchanges&rdquo; while maintaining a zero-tolerance policy toward illegal migration.&nbsp;Both ministers discussed regional and global developments, including Afghanistan, South Asia, and Europe, and agreed to continue working together for peace and stability. Dar briefed Sikorski on Pakistan&rsquo;s concerns over cross-border militancy and reiterated Pakistan&rsquo;s principled stance on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.&nbsp;The two sides also discussed Pakistan&rsquo;s GSP Plus trade status with the EU. Dar expressed hope for Poland&rsquo;s continued support in its renewal in 2027, terming it a &ldquo;win-win arrangement&rdquo; for both sides.&nbsp;Sikorski appreciated Pakistan&rsquo;s progress on governance reforms and reaffirmed Poland&rsquo;s support for a two-state solution to the Palestine issue, as well as solidarity with Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict.&nbsp;Concluding the interaction, both sides reiterated their resolve to transform Pakistan&ndash;Poland relations into a comprehensive and mutually beneficial partnership based on shared values and respect for sovereignty.

Foreign Affairs

Polish Deputy Prime Minister Radosław Sikorski says Poland views Pakistan as an increasingly important global partner. During talks in Islamabad, both sides agree to deepen cooperation in trade, energy, education, and regional stability while reaffirming their commitment to peace.

Poland sees Pakistan as key global partner: Sikorski

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday met the newly appointed European Union Ambassador to Pakistan Raimundas Karoblis and reaffirmed Islamabad&rsquo;s commitment to strengthening cooperation with the EU under the GSP+ framework. According to the EU&rsquo;s website GSPHub, the framework is a &ldquo;special incentive arrangement for Sustainable Development and Good Governance that supports vulnerable developing countries.&rdquo; Pakistan has had the status of GSP+ since 2014. Pakistan has exported &euro;8.0 billion in 2023, of which &euro;6.2 billion were exported using the GSP+ preferences.&nbsp; The foreign office, in a statement on X today, said that the deputy prime minister &ldquo;reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to further deepening Pakistan&ndash;EU cooperation, including under the GSP+ framework.&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;Recent regional and international developments were also discussed,&rdquo; the statement said. GSPhub said the EU is Pakistan&#39;s second most important trading partner, behind China, with a share of approximately 15%. &ldquo;32% of Pakistan&#39;s exports go to the EU market, making the EU the most important export destination for products from Pakistan,&rdquo; it added.

Foreign office says recent regional and international developments were also discussed in a meeting with recent regional and international developments were also discussed.


Pakistan, EU pledge to broaden cooperation under GSP+ framework

ISLAMABAD: The United Kingdom (UK) has pledged &pound;3 million [$3.75 million] in emergency relief assistance to support Pakistan&rsquo;s response to devastating monsoon floods, the foreign ministry said on Friday.&nbsp;The announcement was made during a meeting between UK High Commissioner Jane Marriott and Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Islamabad.&nbsp;In a statement, the foreign office said the UK envoy expressed &ldquo;full solidarity with Pakistan&rdquo; as the country faces widespread destruction due to seasonal flooding. The aid package includes emergency response support, with additional humanitarian and recovery assistance expected in coordination with Pakistan&rsquo;s government and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).&nbsp;Dar welcomed the UK&rsquo;s commitment, calling it &ldquo;timely and meaningful&rdquo; in light of the scale of devastation, thanking the British government for standing in solidarity during a &ldquo;critical moment.&rdquo;&nbsp;In addition to the aid announcement, the two officials also discussed bilateral relations, the value of high-level diplomatic exchanges, and regional and international developments, the statement added.&nbsp;The financial support comes as Pakistan continues to battle the ongoing monsoon crisis, which has caused widespread displacement and infrastructure damage. The UK&rsquo;s pledge underscores the growing role of international partnerships in supporting Pakistan&rsquo;s relief and recovery efforts.

Economy

Climate & Environment

The United Kingdom expressed solidarity with Pakistan on Friday, pledging £3 million in emergency relief for flood victims, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a Meta post.

Articles tagged with "Ministry of Foreign Affairs"

Poland sees Pakistan as key global partner: Sikorski

Pakistan, EU pledge to broaden cooperation under GSP+ framework

UK announces £3 million in flood relief aid for Pakistan