UK minister thanks Pakistan for role in US-Iran ceasefire diplomacy

ISLAMABAD: British Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan Hamish Falconer has praised Pakistan’s part in efforts that led to a ceasefire between the United States and Iran, while also announcing additional British funding for joint work with Islamabad on crime and illegal migration.

During a two-day visit to Islamabad, Falconer said the agreement between Washington and Tehran marked an important development and conveyed his appreciation to Pakistan. In remarks cited by the British High Commission, he said Pakistan had played an important role in creating an opening for regional stability and that Britain was prepared to work with Islamabad in support of lasting peace.

The news of a US-Iran deal is a hugely significant moment, and I am pleased to convey my personal thanks, and those of the UK, to Pakistan during my visit here in Islamabad. Pakistan has played a critical role in brokering this opportunity for regional stability, and we stand ready to work together to support a path to lasting peace,

According to a statement issued by the British High Commission, Falconer personally thanked Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar for Pakistan’s role in reaching what it described as a significant moment. The statement said the minister reaffirmed the UK’s support for stability in the Middle East and said Britain would continue to work with partners including Pakistan to strengthen the opportunity for a durable peace.

Falconer also said Britain remained thankful for Pakistan’s role in facilitating negotiations and added that the UK and its partners would continue working towards the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. In a post shared during the visit, he said the next stage of talks would be vital for regional stability and for freedom of navigation in the waterway.

Funding for migration and crime cooperation

The British High Commission said Falconer, in meetings with Pakistan’s senior leadership, committed an additional £8 million to support joint UK-Pakistan efforts against crime and illegal migration. The funding, according to the statement, will be used to strengthen border and visa systems and to provide expertise to help Pakistani law enforcement disrupt people-smuggling and trafficking networks.

The statement said the money would also help support the return of individuals with no right to remain in the UK and fund community-based programmes in high-risk areas aimed at addressing the causes of illegal migration. It said this would include improvements in identity and information-sharing processes, stronger law-enforcement capacity to investigate smuggling networks, and expanded prevention programmes to reduce vulnerability to exploitation.

The UK-Pakistan partnership is critical for safeguarding global, regional and UK national security — working closely together to tackle terrorist threats, visa fraud and serious organised crime,

Falconer added that the two countries were taking their cooperation further through extra funding intended to deter illegal migration and address the drivers at source.

Meetings on Afghanistan and visa abuse

As part of the visit, Falconer also met Pakistan’s special representative for Afghanistan to discuss continuing tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, encourage a return to dialogue, and offer British support in addressing the terrorist threat from Afghanistan.

The British High Commission said Falconer’s second visit to Pakistan as an FCDO minister would also include a live demonstration of joint law-enforcement efforts to curb illegal migration. It said a UK-backed initiative allows Pakistani authorities to identify and stop travellers using non-genuine visas at airports, helping ensure that only eligible passengers and students travel to Britain.

According to the statement, the visit was also expected to include meetings with Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior and the Higher Education Commission on closer practical cooperation to prevent visa abuse. It added that deeper UK-Pakistan cooperation was important for British, regional and global security, and said the UK was also providing counter-terrorism assistance to Pakistan, including support for training civilians involved in the investigation and prosecution of terrorism-related cases.