News
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Pak wants to boost strategic partnership with Britain: PM* Khar, Baroness Warsi for promoting Pak-UK ties
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, on Wednesday, said that Pakistan wanted to enhance strategic partnership with the United Kingdom (UK) and expand trade relations for which conducive environment existed between the two countries.
He was talking to British Minister for Trade and Investment Lord Green and Baroness Saeeda Warsi, who called on him at the Prime Minister’s House.
The prime minister highlighted the importance of activating bilateral business and investment fora between the two countries and exchange of business and investment delegations to accelerate economic activity.
He appreciated the UK’s support in the European Union (EU) for Generalised System of Preferences Plus (GSP Plus) scheme for Pakistan so that its exports to the EU could increase substantially.
The prime minister said that the UK’s assistance to the earthquake victims and the flood victims was commendable as it helped mitigate their sufferings.
He said that the British assistance in the field of primary education and industry was exemplary as the UK is the second largest investor in Pakistan.
The prime minister said that he was looking forward to his visit to the UK in the month of April to meet the British leadership and the business community there.
He also appreciated the UK’s support in the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), which was the country’s largest social safety net and was meant to target women and the poor of the poor. The prime minister asked Lord Green to convey his best wishes to the British prime minister.
Lord Green said that Pakistan and UK had extensive cooperation in many fields ranging from trade, culture, education and defence. He said that he would show-case Pakistan to the UK’s businessmen.
He said that he would be going to Karachi and would meet the businessmen there with a view to further enhance trade between the two countries.
Minister for Commerce Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, National Food Security Minister Mir Israrullah Zehri, Board of Investment (BOI) Chairman Saleem Mandviwala and other government officials were present during the meeting.
In a separate meeting, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, Britain’s Cabinet Minister agreed that the Pakistan-UK Enhanced Strategic Dialogue was an important vehicle in promoting relations between the two countries for their mutual benefit. Baroness Warsi, also the chairperson of the Conservative Party, called on Foreign Minister Khar and discussed matters of mutual interest.
She regarded Baroness Warsi as “a great asset for Pakistan”, and said she was a role model not only for British-Pakistanis but also for Pakistani women.
Khar commended the Baroness for maintaining strong bonds with the country of her origin while working tirelessly for Britain.
The two sides emphasised that all possible efforts would be made to increase bilateral trade between the two countries to 2.5 billion pounds by 2015, as was agreed by Prime Minister Gilani and Prime Minister Cameron during the latter’s visit to Pakistan in April 2011. They agreed that the presence of over 100 British companies in Pakistan was testimony to enormous lucrative business and investment opportunities in the country. The foreign minister briefed Baroness Warsi about different aspects of Pakistan’s foreign policy, including the recent developments in Pakistan-US relations, Afghanistan and Pakistan-EU relations.
It was underlined that Pakistan had always practiced its foreign policy on the basis of principles and the parliamentary process currently underway to formulate new terms of engagement with the US would go a long way in strengthening parliamentary practices and democracy in Pakistan. The foreign minister said she was looking forward to interacting with members of the Pakistani diaspora during her next visit to the UK. app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk