Key points
- Sharif welcomes UK Government’s recent decision to resume PIA flights to and from UK
- PM says look forward to meeting with UK leadership later this year
- Says recently held trade talks will lead to mutually beneficial opportunities
- UK High Commissioner lauds government’s economic performance
ISLAMABAD: British High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the Prime Minister’s House earlier on Wednesday.
During the meeting, the prime minister conveyed his warm wishes for King Charles III and Prime Minister Keir Starmer and said he looked forward to his meeting with the UK leadership later this year.
He welcomed the UK Government’s recent decision to resume PIA flights to and from the UK, which he said, would go a long way in alleviating the hardships faced by the British Pakistani community as well as enhancing people-to-people exchanges.
Sharif particularly appreciated the role of the high commissioner in this regard.
“Mutually beneficial opportunities”
On Pakistan-UK relations, the prime minister expressed satisfaction at the positive trajectory of bilateral cooperation and said that the recently held trade talks between the two countries would lead to mutually beneficial opportunities for both sides.
He said Pakistan was also cooperating closely with the UK at the UN Security Council, where Pakistan currently held the monthly Presidency.
The regional situation in South Asia and the Middle East was also discussed. The prime minister expressed his appreciation for the UK’s role in de-escalation of tensions during the Pakistan-India stand off and reiterated that Pakistan was ready for a meaningful dialogue with India on all outstanding issues.
Enhancing Pakistan-UK bilateral ties
The UK High Commissioner thanked the prime minister for receiving her and briefed him about her recent visit to London, where she had extensive consultations on enhancing Pakistan-UK bilateral ties.
She lauded the government’s economic performance in the last year and a half, under the vision and leadership of the prime minister, which had brought about a significant improvement in all key macro-economic indicators.
Marriott also shared with the prime minister, the UK’s perspective on regional developments in South Asia and the Middle East.
