London, August 26, 2026: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar met a cross-party group of Pakistan-origin British parliamentarians at Pakistan House in London on Wednesday, discussing Pakistan-UK relations, regional peace efforts and developments in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
The meeting was attended by Lord Zameer Choudrey, Lord Qurban Hussain, Baroness Shaista Sheehan and Lord Shaffaq Mohammed, as well as Members of Parliament Mohammad Yasin, Yasmin Qureshi, Afzal Khan, Zubir Ahmed and Adnan Hussain.
Dar appreciated the British parliamentarians’ contribution to strengthening Pakistan-UK relations and their continued advocacy for what Pakistan describes as a just settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
The British lawmakers praised Pakistan’s diplomatic and mediation efforts in the Middle East, saying the country’s historic role had received international recognition and was a source of pride for overseas Pakistanis.
Dar briefed the parliamentarians on Pakistan’s ongoing diplomatic initiatives aimed at promoting de-escalation and peace in the Middle East. He stressed that adherence by all parties to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding was essential for achieving lasting peace and stability in the region.
The deputy prime minister also highlighted the significance of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement in promoting regional peace and stability, reiterating Pakistan’s position that the agreement was purely defensive in nature.
The meeting also covered recent political developments in AJK. The British parliamentarians congratulated Dar on the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)’s victory in the recent legislative assembly elections.
Dar said the people of AJK had placed their confidence in the PML-N because of its previous record of economic development and public service. He said the newly elected government would focus on attracting investment, improving infrastructure and creating employment opportunities for the youth.
He added that the federal government and the AJK government would work with other political parties and stakeholders to build consensus on important governance and constitutional matters.
The parliamentarians also exchanged views with Dar on other issues of mutual interest and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the longstanding ties between Pakistan and the United Kingdom.
