Ishaq Dar reaffirms Pakistan’s commitment to Commonwealth in talks with Secretary-General

LONDON: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to the Commonwealth during a meeting with Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwey at Marlborough House in London on Wednesday.

As a founding member of the Commonwealth, Senator Dar reiterated Pakistan’s support for the Secretary-General’s vision to strengthen the organisation and reaffirmed the country’s commitment to advancing the Commonwealth’s agenda on youth empowerment, climate resilience and sustainable economic development.

The Deputy Prime Minister emphasised the importance of promoting intra-Commonwealth trade through institutionalised cooperation between banking sectors, saying stronger financial connectivity would help unlock greater economic opportunities for member states.

Highlighting Pakistan’s expertise in climate change mitigation and disaster management, Senator Dar said Commonwealth countries could benefit from Pakistan’s experience in responding to natural disasters. He renewed Pakistan’s offer to host the proposed Commonwealth Disaster Resilience Hub at the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in Islamabad.

Secretary-General Botchwey welcomed Pakistan’s offer and said the Commonwealth Secretariat looked forward to working closely with Islamabad to strengthen disaster preparedness and resilience across member states.

The two leaders also agreed to expand cooperation on youth development under Pakistan’s co-chairmanship of the Commonwealth Youth Ministers Meeting (CYMM). They underscored the importance of creating greater opportunities for young people through enhanced Commonwealth programmes and initiatives.

During the meeting, Senator Dar briefed the Secretary-General on recent developments in the Middle East, including Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts in helping broker peace between the United States and Iran.

Secretary-General Botchwey congratulated Pakistan, particularly Senator Dar, for his sustained diplomatic engagement and mediation efforts between the United States and Iran. She thanked him for helping avert a potentially destructive conflict and for making a significant contribution to regional peace and stability.

The meeting reflected Pakistan’s continued commitment to strengthening multilateral cooperation through the Commonwealth while promoting dialogue, disaster resilience, youth development and international peace.