The British government assured Pakistan on Wednesday of all-out support for the removal of trade barriers for its products to European markets.
Dr Kim Howells, Member Parliament and British Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Office, conveyed this assurance to parliamentarians at a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs with MNA Attiya Inayatullah in the chair.
Howells said Britain valued very high its relations with Pakistan and would continue its support in the field of socio-economic development.
He appreciated the role of Pakistan in war against terrorism and narcotics control, and vowed to further strengthen the two countries' coalition to uproot menace of narcotics and terrorism.
Briefing the committee, the British Minister said the strategic location of Pakistan and the number of Pakistani expatriates in Britain has made the country more important for the British government.
Expressing sympathy over October 8 catastrophe, he said Britain has great sympathies for the victims of the earthquake in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and NWFP, and assured the committee of continued British support to Pakistan in rehabilitation of the quake victims.
Speaking on the occasion, Attiya Inayatullah thanked British government for its swift and timely response in wake of the earthquake.
She admired the Britain's support in quake-relief efforts, drug control and socio-economic developmental projects.
The committee's chairperson reiterated that Pakistan condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and emphasised on the need for uprooting the root-causes of terrorism.
The meeting was attended by MNAs Dr Doniya Aziz, Syed Abdul Qadir Jamaluddin Algeellani, Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan, Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry, Meena Ehsan Leghari, Malik Zaheer Abbas Khokhar and Sher Akbar Khan.