Dar heads to UK on Aug 24; bilateral ties, crew held by Somali pirates on agenda

ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will undertake an official visit to the United Kingdom from August 24 to 28, with high-level meetings expected to focus on strengthening bilateral ties and expanding cooperation between Pakistan and Britain, the Foreign Office said on Sunday.

During his five-day visit, Dar will hold meetings with UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, Minister of State for Pakistan at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Stephen Doughty and other senior members of the British government.

The deputy prime minister will also meet senior British parliamentarians and representatives of the British-Pakistani community, according to the Foreign Office.

A key engagement during the visit will be Dar’s meeting with the secretary-general of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), where the issue of Pakistani crew members being held by Somali pirates aboard the oil tanker MT Honour 25 will be discussed, the FO statement said

The development comes as Pakistan seeks international assistance over the detained crew members and their safe release.

Dar will also meet Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey during his stay in the UK.

The Foreign Office said that the deputy prime minister’s engagements would provide an important opportunity to further advance high-level contacts and mutual cooperation between Pakistan and the United Kingdom.

The visit is expected to cover a range of bilateral and international issues, with Dar scheduled to engage with British government officials, parliamentarians and members of the Pakistani diaspora.

The foreign minister’s visit comes amid continued high-level engagement between Islamabad and London on bilateral, regional and international matters.