Pakistan-UK relations: Zardari calls for more intelligence swaps with Britain

Calls for international support to counter the impacts of war on the economy.

LONDON:

Pakistan needs to further enhance an intelligence sharing mechanism with the UK to combat militancy and terrorism, said President Asif Ali Zardari during his meeting with British Home Secretary Theresa May in London on Saturday.

Matters pertaining to bilateral ties between Pakistan and the UK, the role of Pakistani-origin British citizens in Pakistan and their positive contributions and operations against terrorism were discussed during the meeting.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was also present during the meeting.

The British home secretary was accompanied by Charles Farr, DG security and counter terrorism and senior Home Office officials Fiona Cunningham and Faye Johnson, while Secretary General Salman Farouqi, High Commissioner Wajid Shamusul Hasan, presidential spokesperson Farhatullah Babar and other senior officials were present during the meeting from Pakistan’s side.

Briefing the media, Farhatullah Babar said that while discussing the Pakistan-UK relations, the president highlighted the historical equation of the two countries and underscored the need to enhance the multifaceted strategic partnership between the two countries.

President Zardari said that in the ongoing war on extremism, Pakistan was moving forward despite the heavy toll of human lives and material losses. The president called for greater international support in assisting Pakistan in capacity building and overcoming the effects of war on the economy. The president said that Pakistan wanted peace in the region and has always supported every effort in this regard. He said that drug trafficking was one of the major issues in the region due to its role in funding militants.

Babar said that President Zardari reiterated that Pakistan has always called upon the international community for concerted efforts to end the drug trafficking. He said that this was critical for durable peace, stability and socio-economic development of the region. The president reiterated his call for an integrated approach including the promotion of alternative livelihood, agricultural development, eradicating and reducing drug-consumption to keep the menace in check. Babar said the president mentioned that Pakistan’s economy had suffered heavily due to the war on terror. “Shrinking economic opportunities have made the youth vulnerable to falling into the trap of militants,” he said.



Published in The Express Tribune, July 3^rd, 2011.