Dar to undertake important UK trip

Visit comes as New Delhi fears 'pro-Pakistan' stance, resurfacing of Kashmir issue in British parliament

ISLAMABAD:

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Ishaq Dar will undertake an official visit to the United Kingdom from 4-8 September.

This is his first visit to London as foreign minister following the change in the UK government, where the Labour Party secured a landslide victory in July's general elections, returning to power after 14 years.

The new government under Prime Minister Keir Starmer includes a significant number of party members of Pakistani origin, raising concerns in India that the Labour government may adopt a pro-Pakistan stance, diplomatic sources said.

New Delhi is apprehensive that the Kashmir issue may echo more frequently in the British Parliament under this new leadership.

Given these developments, Dar's visit is seen as particularly significant.

The deputy prime minister will meet with his UK counterpart, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, and hold extensive discussions with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Affairs, David Lammy.

He is also scheduled to engage with members of the UK Parliament and interact with representatives of the British-Pakistani community.

While the UK may no longer wield the same level of global influence it once did during its heyday, observers note that London remains a key player, often bidding on behalf of the US in many hotspots.

Meanwhile, US Ambassador Donald Blome met with Dar on Tuesday.

An official handout issued here by the US Embassy said Ambassador Blome and the deputy prime minister discussed a broad range of bilateral and regional issues, including the protection of Afghan refugees and asylum seekers, economic cooperation, security and counterterrorism and regional cooperation.

The ambassador welcomed the opportunity to hear from the deputy prime minister on Pakistan's priorities in the lead-up to the UN General Assembly as Pakistan prepares to begin its term as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.

A separate statement issued by the Foreign Office (FO) said discussions covered various aspects of Pakistan-US bilateral relations including avenues for enhanced cooperation in diverse fields.

They also discussed matters relating to the upcoming session of the UN General Assembly.

However, the FO brief didn't mention the Afghan refugee issue.

After the withdrawal of US-led foreign forces from Afghanistan, thousands of Afghans including those who promised special immigration visas to the US and other countries fled to Pakistan. Thousands of them are still waiting for the resettlement to the US and other Western countries.

Pakistan wants the process to be expedited.