Pakistan

UK assures Pakistan economic cooperation, seeks support in Afghan-led peace process: Hague

The UK expects Pakistan to assist the Afghan led peace process.

June 23, 2011

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and UK resolved to further strengthen and deepen bilateral relations and cooperation in the diverse areas. Both sides agreed to increase bilateral trade volume to £ 2.5 billion by 2015.

UK reiterated to continue with Pakistan in developing and assisting education, health, economic, defence and social sector of Pakistan. This was informed by the Minister of State on Foreign Affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar today while addressing to a joint press conference with British Foreign Secretary William Hague following a delegation level talks between the two sides at Foreign Office on Thursday.

Ms Khar appreciated UK's efforts towards market access to Pakistani products into the European Union (EU) markets, which she said would increase exports of Pakistan. She said that UK would also cooperate with Pakistan regarding forthcoming Pak-EU Free Trade Agreement and Pak-EU strategic dialogue.

The State Minister added that the Afghanistan issue was also discussed during the meeting in which she reiterated Pakistan’s stance that it would support Afghan led solution. She said Pakistan being immediate neighbor to Afghanistan, has always been one that suffers. However it would continue its efforts towards peace and stability in Afghanistan and would also prop up Afghan owned reconciliation process.

Regarding troops withdrawal from Afghanistan she said, Pakistan is in the favor to the smooth transition by 2014. Further, responding to questions, Ms Hina said Pakistan had gone through peace and reconciliation experience in Swat 2-3 years before with the policy of dialogue, development and deterrence. Pakistan is looking for a solution that would be Afghan led and afghan owned.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague endorsed Pakistan’s stance of seeking Afghani led solution and acknowledged that Pakistan had suffered a lot of sacrifices in countering terrorism. He said Pakistan had a very important role in political reconciliation in Afghanistan and UK would support its efforts in that regard.

William, welcoming President Obama’s announcement of troops’ withdrawal from Afghanistan, termed ‘this withdrawal in the line of US policy of transition by 2014’ and said ‘after withdrawing 30, 000 troops, US still have 60, 000 more there and hundreds of thousands troops from other nations are also there’. The visiting Foreign Secretary also voiced for the work done by NATO and ISAF saying ‘they have done a positive job’ in Afghanistan. The Secretary expressed that UK seek for the peace and prosperity in Afghanistan and in the region and intends to have long term and broad based relations with Afghanistan.

William Hague also emphasized on an economic development process in Afghanistan. He invited the State Minister Hina Rabbani Khar to London to further set way forward and to enhance talks on bilateral ties between the two countries.

COMMENTS (12)

malik | 12 years ago | Reply One great reason for loving Gaddafi: The other day he said, "If I leave Libya, this country will become another Pakistan !" No wonder, Pakistanis love him and have even named a stadium after him !

Mark | 12 years ago | Reply @Dr. Saleem Siddiqi: This is a sincere question, not one of those generic requests for proof with the intention of discrediting it. I don't have a significant opinion on the whole right or wrong in the Libya conflict. But, do you have information to back all of that up? Having a few out of the list I can see. But, all of those? Really? It seems financially unreal. If it is true, there's one other thing that seems off. The whole country would have been loving that guy. They'd be rebelling against near-perfection in terms of running things from any country's point of view. Most countries have some or all of those as their primary problems even if they're not hurting for money. The guy would have a worldwide fan-club. Before posting this I tried to re-read what you said a few times trying to find signs of satire or sarcasm and failed.

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Mark | 12 years ago | Reply @TightChuddi: You just broke China's heart.

Dr. Saleem Siddiqi | 12 years ago | Reply @Bilal Khan: Please see the following facts and figures than you will realize what you are stating is incorrect: Some other facts (that mainstream media will never disclose) about "Gaddafi and Libya : Loans to Libyan citizens are given with NO interest. Students would get paid the average salary for the profession they are studying for. If you are unable to get employment the state would pay the full salary as if you were employed until you find employment. When you get married the couple gets an apartment or house for free from the Government. You could go to college anywhere in the world. The state pays 2,500 Euros plus accommodation and car allowence. The cars are sold at factory cost. Libya does not owe money, (not a cent) to anyone. No creditors. Free education and health care for all citizens. 25% of the population with a university degree. No beggars on the streets and nobody is homeless (until the recent bombing). Bread costs only $0.15 per loaf. No wonder the US and other capitalist countries do not like Libya . Gaddafi would not consent to taking loans from IMF or World Bank at high interest rates. In other words Libya wasINDEPENDENT! That is the real reason for the war in Libya ! He may be a dictator, but that is not the US problem. Regards Dr. Saleem Siddiqi Johannesburg - South Africa

TightChuddi | 12 years ago | Reply UK is pakistans greatest friend, They not created pakistan but nurtured it. Also a large of Pakistanis are living there as law abiding citizens and sending remittences worth billions of pounds to their homeland. To all those hypocrites who criticse the UK, kindly read histrory and financial times to get a better picture of the world you are in.

Billoo Bhaya | 12 years ago | Reply I love UK. Its the greatest place on earth and Hague is welcome as our guest. UK and Pakistan go back a long way and we have shared history. Good to see a friend come to visit.

Mirza | 12 years ago | Reply Whether one agrees or not, the US and UK are telling Pakistan to be positively involved in the peace process in Afghanistan. Thousands of people have died in Afghanistan civil war since 1979, decades before the US forces landed in Afghanistan. Irrespective of the reasons the killing of Afghan people must be stopped, the sooner the better. Any country or institution in the way of peace would be seen as by the Afghans and the warring parties as a rogue and hindrance in peace. I know many people would not agree and would be upset, but the fact is US is not a colonial power like UK, France, Italy, and other European countries. They have achieved their limited goals and objectives and now it is time for them to get the heck out of there. After seeing the follies of Bush and his unpopularity, Obama is not going to make the same mistakes. He is not going to stay any longer than absolutely needed in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Before the end of this year a good amount of American forces would be back to their homeland. If Pakistani army wants to continue their luxurious lifestyle they would have to be helpful to the donors and not in their way. After getting caught in bed with OBL, Pakistani army does not have any moral standing, many options and many friends.

Khurram | 12 years ago | Reply Nobody can beat us in self aggrandizement, somehow in the end everybody always stand in need of our help. I do not why? May be it is because we are the so called bastion of Islam (this expression is also our own invention no one else recognize as such). My advice, stop sticking our nose where it does not belong and quit making irrelevant statements, it is time to see the reality, admit and own up our inherent faults and the past mistakes, begin by fixing the things at home. This flawed self assessment has already done a lot of irreparable damage and we have been exploited to the hilt by the Powers from the Saudis to the Chinese and all others in between for the last sixty four years. Why cannot we learn to live a simple honorable life which our own great religion teaches us? It deeply hurts me to say it but we have become over the years one of the biggest hypocrites in the world.

Hedgefunder | 12 years ago | Reply @Ba ha: Where do you get your Info from in regards to UK's debt to Libya?? Perhaps its a figment of your Imagination!!!

Bilal Khan | 12 years ago | Reply @Ba ha: Who gave permission to Mr Qaddafi to rule Libya ?? Not Libyans neither God so who is Muammar Qaddafi to rule that country? Libya isn't his family property. No country should be left to be ruled by a dictator. Don't be so blind with hatred that you cannot separate black from white. We should appreciate Western efforts in helping to give Libyan government to its people which will definitely help in the long run.

Ba ha | 12 years ago | Reply Like they (UK) helped start a civil war in Libya? If UK does not want to payback the trillions they owe Libya they should go to the world court. DON'T START A CIVIL WAR Just TO GET OUT OF A CIVIL SUIT

safir | 12 years ago | Reply u.k in the midle always.

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