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PM Gilani leaves for UK to hold strategic dialogue
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani left here for United Kingdom Tuesday on a five-day visit to participate in the first Pak-UK summit level review of the Enhanced Strategic Dialogue.Talking to reporters prior his departure at the PAF Base Chaklala, the prime minister said the focus of his visit would be to participate in enhanced strategic dialogue between the two countries.
He said this would be his second round to attend the dialogue, on the invitation of the British Prime Minister David Cameron.
Gilani said the dialogue would focus on cooperation in investment, trade, culture, health and education.
He said he would hold meeting with his British counterpart and discuss regional situation including the Afghanistan scenario.
Prime Minister Gilani said the visit would also provide him the opportunity to meet parliamentarians from both House of Lords and House of Commons besides meeting with several cabinet members.
He said, "Pakistan is keen to strengthen its trade ties with the UK with an objective to take the bilateral trade upto 2.5 million pound sterling in two to three years."
Gilani said education was the priority sector between Pakistan and UK.
He appreciated the contribution of UK for expanding its assistance in education, which he said was being look after by the Steering Committee headed by his Special Assistant Begum Shehnaz Wazir Ali and a representative from the UK.
Earlier, the prime minister was seen off by federal ministers, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Khalid Shamim Wyne, Chief of the Air Staff Tahir Rafiq Butt, Naval Chief Air Commodore Muhammad Asif Sandhela and senior officials at the PAF Base Chaklala.
Prime Minister Gilani was accompanied by a high-level delegation including Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, Minister for Finance Dr. Hafeez Sheikh, Interior Minister Rehman Malik, State Minister for Housing Raza Hayat Haraj, Minister of Investment Saleem Mandviwala, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Shahnaz Wazir Ali.
Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and Commerce Minister Makhdoom Ameen Faheem will later join the Prime Minister in London. (APP)
Courtesy www.geo.tv