ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar spoke on the phone with his UAE counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The Foreign Office, in a statement, said the two leaders discussed bilateral and multilateral issues of mutual interest as well as recent regional and global developments.
Both sides have agreed to stay closely engaged, it said.
A day earlier, Pakistan and Poland reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation in diverse areas, including trade, energy, defence, education, technology, and fintech.
The commitment was expressed by the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Polish Minister for Foreign Affairs Radoslaw Sikorski during a joint press stakeout here.
The two sides expressed satisfaction over the positive trajectory of Pakistan-Poland relations and emphasized the need to further explore untapped potential in various sectors.
“We have over a billion dollars in bilateral trade, and both sides agreed that there remains immense untapped potential to further expand trade and economic cooperation……we have just signed today a memorandum of understanding which envisions regular bilateral consultations,” the deputy PM said.
He said Poland’s oil and gas expertise could greatly benefit Pakistan and a leading Polish energy company had already invested nearly half a billion dollars in Pakistan.
To institutionalize dialogue, Ishaq Dar said the two countries signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), one between their respective foreign ministries to establish regular bilateral consultations, and another between the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) and the Polish Institute of International Affairs to promote collaboration between think tanks.
He recalled the historical ties between Pakistan and Poland, dating back to World War II when thousands of Polish refugees found shelter in Karachi and Quetta. He also paid tribute to Polish pilots and engineers, particularly Air Commodore Wladyslaw Turowicz, for their role in establishing the Pakistan Air Force.
“His story is a monument to the values of sacrifice, dignity and honour,” Dar said, adding that Pakistan views Poland as an important partner both bilaterally and within the European Union.
He also congratulated Poland on its economic progress, noting its emergence as a trillion-dollar economy, and appreciated its successful tenure as President of the Council of the European Union earlier this year.
He thanked Poland for supporting Pakistan’s election to the UN Security Council with 182 votes and sought Warsaw’s continued support for the renewal of Pakistan’s GSP Plus status in the EU, which is due in 2027.
“GSP Plus is a win-win arrangement for both Pakistan and the EU, as it contributes to sustainable development, good governance and poverty alleviation,” he noted.
DPM Ishaq Dar reiterated Pakistan’s principled position on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, urging its resolution in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people. He also raised concerns over the presence of Fitna-al-Khararij and Fitna-al-Hindustan militant elements in Afghanistan and emphasized the importance of strengthening multilateralism and adherence to the UN Charter.