President Asif Ai Zardari has said that the people of Pakistan recognised and appreciated understanding and appreciation of their sacrifices in the war against militants by the UK government and its people as reflected in the recent statement by Prime Minister David Cameron.
UK's pronouncement of being strong friend and partner of Pakistan at this critical juncture is encouraging and provides impetus to further strengthening our strategic partnership and deepening our mutual co-operation. 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 on Tuesday.
The UK delegation included among others UK's High Commissioner Adam Thomson, Director South Asia and Afghanistan Neil Crompton, Political counsellor Susan Hyland, Head of DFID Pakistan George Turkington and other high ranking British officials. Pak side comprised of Foreign Minister Ms Hina Rabbani Khar, Interior Advisor 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, Additional Secretary Foreign Affairs Asif Durrani and other senior officials.
Pak-UK bilateral relations, UK's assistance to Pakistan, bilateral trade, war against terror and the regional situation were discussed during the meeting. While expressing satisfaction over the progress made so far under the umbrella of Enhanced Strategic Dialogue, the President said that ESD was a manifestation of our common resolve to comprehensively upgrade our relationship.
Discussing matters relating to trade, the President expressed satisfaction that the bilateral trade was following an upward trajectory. He said that the two countries need to make sustained efforts to achieve the target set under Pak-UK Trade and Investment Roadmap to raise the level of trade to £2.5 billion by 2015.
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 neighbouring 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.-PR
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