President Asif Ali Zardari in a one on one meeting with the British prime minister David Cameron in the Presidency on Saturday. PHOTO: PID
ISLAMABAD: British Prime Minister David Cameron arrived in Pakistan on Saturday evening to kick off a two day tour, Radio Pakistan reported.
As a first order of business, Cameron met with President Asif Ali Zardari at the Presidency. According to a briefing from the President's spokesperson Farhatullah Babar, the two discussed bilateral cooperation in different fields with a focus on economic ties and the regional situation.
With Cameron arriving in Pakistan on the back of a trip to Afghanistan, the two discussed Afghan-led peace process and the scenario in the backdrop of withdrawal of NATO-led ISAF mission from Afghanistan was also discussed.
Zardari said that Pakistan is a staunch supporter of peace and stability in Afghanistan and it would continue to support every effort aimed at restoring sustainable and long-term peace to the war-torn country.
The President emphasised that Pakistan all along has maintained a constructive approach and believes that dialogue and reconciliation was the only way forward towards ensuring durable peace in Afghanistan and hoped that efforts made would also take into account legitimate concerns of all the stakeholders. He welcomed efforts being made for finding a peaceful solution to the long drawn conflict in Afghanistan.
Earlier in the day, while addressing a joint press conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Cameron had hinted at the close Pakistan-UK ties and that these could be used to push for a fruitful peace process.
“We want a democratic Afghanistan that is not a safe haven for terrorists, which doesn’t threaten our national security and is ruled by the Afghans themselves,” commented Cameron.
Bilateral ties
Zardari reiterated Pakistan’s desire to have a multifaceted and deep engagement with the United Kingdom on various issues based on sovereign equality and mutual trust. He called for expanding the scope of UK Foreign Direct Investment in the fields of energy‚ infrastructure development‚ agriculture‚ agro-based industry and mining.
Cameron assured that England would continue cooperation with Pakistan in curbing militancy, trade access to European Union markets and assistance in the fields of investment and education.
Meeting with Nawaz Sharif
Cameron, who is the first foreign head of state to visit Pakistan after Nawaz Sharif was elected to the prime minister’s hot seat early in June, is expected to meet his counterpart on Sunday.
Earlier, on his arrival in Islamabad, Cameron was received by the Minister for Science and Technology Zahid Hamid. Cameron was accompanied by the British High Commissioner to Pakistan Adam Thompson.
COMMENTS (16)
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Strange! British PM is calling on the Pakistani President and discussing forign affairs while The Pakistani PM awaits. There is something amiss here.
Did they discuss Altaf s return to Pakistan where he can live freely and AAZ /PPP not to withdraw looted from UK
Why do they keep visiting us every couple of months to remind us that we are a geo-strategic nuisance and to keep checks on us that we are not misbehaving. And also finalize a deal where the world's next 500 years of energy resources will pass through our corridor. And we will be a superpower in 2030 because our bright engineers in Mandi Bahauddin wll invent a water based engine (maybe we already did!). Oh also, they also want us to share our state of the art gobar science research at Punjab University which will be ranked above MIT, Harvard etc. by 2020. The West needs us. Not to mention our great heritage dating centuries back to Salahuddin Ayubi who probably is the great great grand father of everyone in land of the pure. And yes, we were once a Golden Islamic Empire (the arabs just twisted the history, actually they were us) before we all migrated to Taxila which is the cradle of civilization. The world also likes our great culture and cuisine specially Lahore's legendary Phajje De Paway. We are just a great nation and deserve the name Land of the Pure.
Pakistani are a fool nation in the world.i admit this reality.
What is the function of the President of Pakistan? What is his status? Is he represnting Pakistan or is he representng Hon. Nawaz Sharif? How come he meets a Prime Minister of a country, relegating the Prime Minister of the country for sunday meetings. What business he has jto discuss bilateral relations with other countries instea of the elcted Prime Minister. IS Pakistan is now being run by the TROIKA, its military chief under the high command of NATO, its President sitting in the middle receiving foreign leaders and Nawaz Sharif taking care of the domestic issues?
Rex Minor
@RB Mian: "Our President knows nothing about foreign affairs, Afghanistan, Pak-US relations or even Taliban-Pakistan relations." +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ But he surely knows a lot about Swiss Laws:)
Cameron is discussing with wrong person, Nawaz Sharif is the man in charge. Should Nawaz go and discuss bilateral ties with Queen or Prince Charles when in London????
whenever any UK/US official visits Pakistan, it is because of their 'own' interest/need....and it is equally justified as well because they got mandate to serve interest of their own people..while, we always on receiving end...receive 'instructions' and act accordingly...just a thought..
Our President knows nothing about foreign affairs, Afghanistan, Pak-US relations or even Taliban-Pakistan relations. It is useless to talk anything like this with him. He has proven this time and again during last 5 years of incompetency.
If Kerry has not come they have send him to teach but our time and age has passed to learn,please live us alone so that we do not start coping and do double gaming.
Both sides need to take a fresh look at this matter. It will be especially useful if the two sides allow regional journalists in addition to the national press. India should allow Pakistan's Urdu language press to report from India and Pakistan should allow regional language reporters from India. No harm in doing this, if anything there is only upside.
Be aware our beloved leaders . This pampering is to get something for the western interest and not the love or respect of our nation. Unlike past I am keen to see how our civilian leaders deal this time.
We have a Prime Minister. Why is he meeting Zardari?
Any status update on our beloved "bhai jaan", Mr. Prime minister?
Pakistan and UK have deep roots since independence.
Pakistan and UK must explore potential of each other for the common benefit of both the countries and its people.
David Cameron is not, as stated in this report, a head of state. That would be the Queen. He's the head of government.