LONDON - Pakistan and Britain are closely cooperating in the field of defence and security under the agreement titled ‘Enhanced Strategic Dialogue’ and ‘Defence Equipment Cooperation’ the MoU for which was signed in 2005.
The two sides now wish the MOU to be materialised and have agreed to renew and revitalise it under the Defence Cooperation Forum.
To proceed further in this connection, British Defence Secretary Philip Hammond Wednesday called on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at Churchill Hyatt Regency Hotel located in Central London to discuss new avenues in the field of defence and security cooperation. Premier Nawaz appreciated UK’s offer of assistance in the areas of training and capacity-building of Pakistan’s law-enforcing agencies, especially its assistance in the field of countering improvised explosive devices.
The prime minister hoped that this relationship could be further strengthened and taken to a higher level to undertake joint defence production ventures.
This kind of cooperation has become imperative and has assumed great significance in view of the forthcoming withdrawal of Nato forces from Afghanistan by the end of 2014.
Secretary Hammond strongly lauded the measures taken by Islamabad in regard to the border control, keeping in view the recently held elections in Afghanistan.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif categorically stated that Pakistan would respect the mandate given to any contesting leader since Islamabad had no favourites and pledged that his government would work closely with the future Afghan president with an objective to bring peace and stability to Afghanistan.
The prime minister briefed Defence Secretary Hammond that his government was committed to establishing strong writ over the entire territory. He asserted that Pakistan’s soil would not be allowed to be used for any terrorist activity outside her borders.
The prime minister informed Secretary Hammond that the recently announced National Internal Security Policy had incorporated the views of all stakeholders in Pakistan and hoped it would achieve its objectives of rooting out terrorism and bringing about peace and stability in the country.
The two sides expressed their satisfaction over cooperation under the framework of Enhanced Strategic Dialogue (ESD) between both the countries and hoped the targets set under the framework would be achieved within the given time frame. Both the sides also agreed that the Defence Equipment Cooperation MoU signed in 2005 needed to be renewed and revitalised under the Defence Cooperation Forum
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik, Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif, Adviser to Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi and Acting High Commissioner Imran Mirza also attended the meeting.