NATIONAL

Pakistan, EU vow closer trade, investment and maritime cooperation as Dar wraps up visit

By Staff Report
  • 7th Strategic Dialogue reviews full spectrum of Pakistan-EU ties, highlights GSP+ scheme as key driver for growth, exports and jobs
  • FM Dar reaffirms Pakistan adherence to international conventions under GSP+, stressing maritime security, connectivity and resilience
  • Dialogue aims to expand cooperation on climate, technology, and sustainable development
  • Bilateral discussions with Italy, Singapore, Bangladesh, Somalia focus on stability and collaboration

ISLAMABAD/BRUSSELS: Pakistan and the European Union (EU) on Saturday reaffirmed the importance of deepening trade and investment ties, including through the EU’s GSP+ scheme, describing it as a key driver of sustainable growth, export diversification, job creation, and mutually beneficial economic opportunities, according to a Foreign Office (FO) statement.

The announcement came as the 7th Strategic Dialogue between Pakistan and the EU was held in Brussels, co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar and EU chief diplomat Kaja Kallas.

Pakistan enjoys, under the GSP+ status, duty-free or minimal-duty access for its exports to Europe, incentivizing sustainable development and good governance.

The FO statement said the dialogue provided a comprehensive review of the full spectrum of Pakistan-EU relations, building on recent high-level engagements and institutional interactions. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to a broad-based, multidimensional, and forward-looking partnership anchored in shared values, the UN Charter, multilateralism, and principles of mutual respect and cooperation.

“The dialogue also offered an opportunity to exchange views on regional and global developments, including South Asia, Afghanistan, the Middle East, and broader geopolitical trends,” the FO said, adding that both parties emphasized coordinated approaches to peace, stability, sustainable development, and global challenges such as climate change and connectivity.

Pakistan and the EU also agreed to strengthen cooperation under the Strategic Engagement Plan, advance ongoing dialogues, and explore concrete avenues to expand collaboration in the coming years, the FO said.

FM Dar later returned to Pakistan after concluding his visit, during which he held substantive discussions on peace, security, maritime safety, economic partnerships, and global sustainability initiatives, along with bilateral meetings with several counterparts and world leaders.

The GSP+ scheme requires implementing 27 international conventions on human rights, labor rights, good governance, and environmental protection, while offering zero import duties on two-thirds of a developing country’s exports. EU Ambassador to Pakistan Raimundas Karoblis earlier this week urged Pakistan to fulfill its commitments under the scheme ahead of a review.

Maritime Security Focus

M Dar also highlighted critical maritime security, describing today’s maritime threats as “both multidimensional and transnational.” He noted threats ranging from piracy, terrorism, and trafficking of arms and narcotics to cyber vulnerabilities in port infrastructure, marine pollution, and climate-induced risks to coastal zones.

Describing Pakistan as a littoral state with strategic access to key international sea lanes and the Arabian Sea, he called the region Pakistan’s “fifth neighbour,” emphasizing the Arabian Sea’s centrality to national security, connectivity, economic resilience, and food and energy security. He said ports from Karachi to Gwadar were vital gateways linking landlocked Central Asia to the global trading system and stressed that maritime security and economic development are mutually reinforcing.

Dar underlined the need for stronger cooperation in the maritime domain, enhanced awareness, information sharing, and early warning mechanisms. He called for secure, resilient, and sustainable oceans built on trust, transparency, and adherence to international law. “Maritime disputes must be resolved peacefully in line with international law,” he said. He added that connectivity must be combined with resilience, diversification, and best practices to prevent regional disruptions from cascading globally.

He said Pakistan had strengthened its Joint Maritime Information Coordination Centre, integrating satellite-based monitoring and AI-enabled vessel tracking with SUPARCO support. Dar expressed hope for enhanced cooperation with partners on technology transfer, regulatory exchanges, and capacity-building to protect critical maritime infrastructure, stressing the vision of oceans as zones of peace, prosperity, and shared progress.

Bilateral Interactions on the Sidelines

On the sidelines of the 4th EU Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum, FM Dar held discussions with Italy’s Ambassador Andrea Orizio, Singapore’s Foreign Minister Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, Bangladesh’s Ambassador Khandker Masudul Alam, and Somalia’s Foreign Minister Abdusalam Abdi Ali.


The meetings focused on strengthening Pakistan’s bilateral ties, economic engagement, and regional stability, while promoting dialogue and shared views on international and regional matters.

Previous article
PM underscores significance of railway system as ‘backbone’ of economy
Next article
ECP bars media from early results as by-polls being held in 13 constituencies tomorrow
Staff Report
Staff Report

82 COMMENTS

  1. I would also love to add if you do not actually have an insurance policy otherwise you do not take part in any group insurance, you will well gain from seeking aid from a health insurance professional. Self-employed or individuals with medical conditions typically seek the help of an health insurance specialist. Thanks for your article.

  2. Heya this is somewhat of off topic but I was wondering if blogs use WYSIWYG editors or if you have to manually code with HTML. I’m starting a blog soon but have no coding knowledge so I wanted to get advice from someone with experience. Any help would be enormously appreciated!

  3. I have been exploring for a little bit for any high-quality articles or blog posts on this sort of area . Exploring in Yahoo I at last stumbled upon this website. Reading this info So i am happy to convey that I’ve a very good uncanny feeling I discovered exactly what I needed. I most certainly will make sure to do not forget this site and give it a glance on a constant basis.

  4. The very root of your writing whilst appearing agreeable at first, did not really settle perfectly with me after some time. Somewhere within the paragraphs you managed to make me a believer unfortunately just for a while. I however have a problem with your leaps in logic and one might do nicely to fill in those breaks. In the event that you can accomplish that, I could definitely end up being amazed.

  6. I’ve learned new things from a blog post. Yet another thing to I have found is that in most cases, FSBO sellers will reject a person. Remember, they might prefer never to use your companies. But if you actually maintain a gentle, professional relationship, offering support and staying in contact for about four to five weeks, you will usually manage to win interviews. From there, a house listing follows. Thank you

  12. Nice post. I be taught one thing more challenging on totally different blogs everyday. It is going to all the time be stimulating to learn content from other writers and follow a little bit something from their store. I?d choose to make use of some with the content material on my blog whether or not you don?t mind. Natually I?ll give you a link on your internet blog. Thanks for sharing.

  13. Thanks for your article. One other thing is the fact that individual states in the United states of america have their unique laws of which affect people, which makes it very difficult for the Congress to come up with the latest set of rules concerning home foreclosure on homeowners. The problem is that every state possesses own regulations which may work in a damaging manner in terms of foreclosure policies.

  15. Thanks for your publication. I also feel that laptop computers have become more and more popular nowadays, and now are sometimes the only form of computer used in a household. Simply because at the same time they are becoming more and more reasonably priced, their working power is growing to the point where there’re as strong as desktop through just a few in years past.

  17. It is perfect time to make some plans for the longer term and it’s time to be happy. I’ve read this publish and if I may I wish to suggest you few fascinating issues or suggestions. Maybe you could write next articles relating to this article. I desire to learn even more things approximately it!

  18. I’m typically to blogging and i really appreciate your content. The article has actually peaks my interest. I am going to bookmark your web site and maintain checking for brand new information.

  20. Thanks for the suggestions you have shared here. Something important I would like to express is that computer system memory needs generally increase along with other advancements in the engineering. For instance, if new generations of cpus are brought to the market, there is usually a related increase in the scale preferences of both personal computer memory plus hard drive space. This is because the software operated by means of these cpus will inevitably rise in power to take advantage of the new engineering.

  21. One other important part is that if you are a mature person, travel insurance intended for pensioners is something you must really think about. The older you are, the more at risk you might be for having something awful happen to you while abroad. If you are not really covered by several comprehensive insurance cover, you could have many serious complications. Thanks for discussing your suggestions on this web blog.

  23. I’ve learned some new things by your website. One other thing I’d really like to say is that newer laptop or computer operating systems usually allow far more memory to use, but they in addition demand more ram simply to perform. If your computer could not handle far more memory plus the newest software package requires that memory space increase, it might be the time to buy a new Personal computer. Thanks

  24. This article is a breath of fresh air! The author’s unique perspective and perceptive analysis have made this a truly fascinating read. I’m thankful for the effort he has put into crafting such an informative and provocative piece. Thank you, author, for providing your expertise and stimulating meaningful discussions through your brilliant writing!

  25. You could certainly see your skills in the work you write. The world hopes for more passionate writers such as you who aren’t afraid to say how they believe. Always go after your heart.

  26. Hi would you mind sharing which blog platform you’re using? I’m looking to start my own blog in the near future but I’m having a hard time choosing between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your layout seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something unique. P.S Apologies for getting off-topic but I had to ask!

  27. Hi this is somewhat of off topic but I was wondering if blogs use WYSIWYG editors or if you have to manually code with HTML. I’m starting a blog soon but have no coding expertise so I wanted to get advice from someone with experience. Any help would be enormously appreciated!

  52. Hello, I think your website might be having browser compatibility issues. When I look at your blog in Firefox, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that, terrific blog!

  53. You actually make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this matter to be really something that I think I would never understand. It seems too complex and very broad for me. I’m looking forward for your next post, I?ll try to get the hang of it!

  58. Thanks for your tips. One thing I’ve noticed is that often banks in addition to financial institutions know the dimensions and spending behaviors of consumers and also understand that most people max out and about their real credit cards around the vacations. They wisely take advantage of this particular fact and begin flooding your own inbox and snail-mail box using hundreds of no-interest APR credit cards offers shortly after the holiday season comes to an end. Knowing that for anyone who is like 98 in the American general public, you’ll rush at the possiblity to consolidate credit debt and shift balances for 0 apr interest rates credit cards.

  60. Greetings from California! I’m bored to death at work so I decided to browse your website on my iphone during lunch break. I really like the knowledge you provide here and can’t wait to take a look when I get home. I’m amazed at how fast your blog loaded on my cell phone .. I’m not even using WIFI, just 3G .. Anyways, superb blog!

  78. Together with everything that appears to be building within this particular area, all your points of view happen to be somewhat exciting. Nevertheless, I appologize, because I do not subscribe to your whole plan, all be it radical none the less. It seems to everybody that your commentary are actually not completely justified and in fact you are generally yourself not completely certain of your argument. In any case I did enjoy reading through it.

Leave a Reply to Barbie Vagina Aesthetics Cancel reply

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

RELATED ARTICLES

Must Read

NATIONAL

Forensic Report ‘identifies’ KP CM, other PTI leaders in May 9...

LAHORE: A Punjab Forensic Science Laboratory (PFSL) report has reportedly confirmed the presence of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and several senior Pakistan...

China, Lesotho to strengthen exchanges, advance cooperation

US to cut Venezuelan aid to Cuba if no deal, Trump says

Survival of Islam does not lie in comfort but in facing trials with patience and faith: Fazl

Pakistan Today
Contact us: newsroom@pakistantoday.com.pk
Facebook Instagram Twitter
Copyright © 2026. Pakistan Today. All Rights Reserved.