UK minister wraps up Pakistan visit after key talks

UK Minister of State for the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan Stephen Doughty has concluded his first official visit to Pakistan, with talks centred on trade, economic growth, education, security and regional stability.

During his visit, Doughty held meetings with senior Pakistani officials and political leaders to discuss ways to expand cooperation between the two countries. Key issues included bilateral trade, economic development, counter-terrorism and stability in Afghanistan.

Doughty met Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Minister for Law, Justice and Human Rights Azam Nazeer Tarar.

The British minister said Pakistan and the UK had strong historic ties through their people, businesses and institutions. He said his visit focused on strengthening cooperation in areas that could benefit both countries.

Education was another major focus of the visit. Doughty met representatives of Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission, universities and the British Council to discuss expanding partnerships between Pakistani and British educational institutions.

The discussions covered greater access to UK qualifications and cooperation in fields including science, technology, engineering, mathematics, healthcare and technology.

More than 15,000 Pakistani students studied UK qualifications in Pakistan through transnational education programmes during 2024-25. The number has increased significantly over the past decade.

Pakistan is now among the largest global hosts of UK transnational education programmes. British institutions account for a substantial share of the country’s transnational education sector.

The British Council is also planning to bring a delegation of UK universities to Pakistan next March to explore new partnerships. The initiative aims to expand collaboration between British and Pakistani universities in the coming years.

Doughty also met civil society representatives and politicians from different parts of Pakistan’s political spectrum. During these meetings, he reaffirmed Britain’s support for human rights and democratic freedoms.

The two countries also discussed regional security, Afghanistan and efforts to prevent escalation in the region.

Pakistan and the UK have extensive people-to-people links, with around 1.7 million people of Pakistani heritage living in Britain. Bilateral trade is estimated at around £5.5 billion annually, with both sides seeking to further expand economic cooperation.