Ishaq Dar’s five-day UK visit will focus on bilateral ties, security cooperation, trade, maritime issues and Pakistan’s growing diplomatic engagement.
ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar will begin a five-day official visit to the United Kingdom on Monday, as Pakistan seeks to deepen engagement with Britain’s new government and expand cooperation across political, economic and security fields.
Dar’s visit, scheduled for Aug. 24-28, comes as Pakistan has increased its diplomatic engagement on regional and international issues. The trip will provide an opportunity for Islamabad and London to discuss bilateral relations as well as developments affecting regional security and stability.
A key engagement will be Dar’s meeting with UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband. According to Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two sides are expected to review Pakistan-UK relations and discuss areas including political, economic and institutional cooperation, trade and investment, cultural ties and people-to-people contacts. The role of the Pakistani diaspora in Britain is also expected to feature in discussions.
The visit is particularly significant following the change in Britain’s leadership. Andy Burnham became UK prime minister on July 20, 2026, according to the British government, making Dar’s engagement an early opportunity for Pakistan to interact with the new administration.
Security cooperation is also expected to remain an important component of the visit. Dar is scheduled to meet UK National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell, with discussions expected to cover regional and international security, counterterrorism cooperation, intelligence-sharing and broader strategic coordination.
The two countries have already discussed expanding cooperation in security, trade, investment and development. During Powell’s May visit to Islamabad, Pakistan’s prime minister reaffirmed the importance of forward-looking engagement with Britain, while the British NSA acknowledged Pakistan’s constructive role in regional diplomacy.
Dar will also hold multilateral engagements in London. He is scheduled to meet International Maritime Organization Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez to discuss the case of Pakistani crew members held by Somali pirates aboard the MT Honour 25 oil tanker, according to Pakistan’s state broadcaster. He is also expected to meet Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey and engage with British parliamentarians and representatives of the British-Pakistani community.
The visit follows Pakistan’s signing of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia and Türkiye on Aug. 7. The agreement provides that an armed attack against any one of the three countries will be regarded as an attack against all, while strengthening defence cooperation and collective deterrence.
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