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Pakistan

 پاکستان کا جھنڈا

Last reviewed: 01 October 2009

Country information

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

India

The status of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir and the history of events leading to its division, have long been contested, and have led to at least three wars between India and Pakistan. India claims that the former state was legally acceded to it in 1947. Pakistan claims that the Kashmiris were denied their choice of which state to join. Kashmir has been divided since 1948 by a cease-fire line, known since an inconclusive round of negotiations in 1972 as the Line of Control (LoC).


The Pakistani-administered portion is almost exclusively Muslim, divided between so-called Azad (Free) Kashmir and the more remote Northern Areas.


There has been continued violence in the Kashmir Valley since the insurgency began in 1988/9. Levels of violence have fallen in recent years, but remain high: from a total of around 4,500 deaths in 2001 (including over 1,000 civilians) to around 900 in 2006 (with less then 300 civilian deaths). Most of the groups are headquartered on Pakistani territory.


Since 2004, India and Pakistan have had several rounds of negotiations including a ‘composite dialogue’ aimed at settling all bilateral issues, including Kashmir. There has been a ceasefire at the Line of Control since November 2003. Both countries have agreed to confidence building measures (CBMs) including the introduction of bus services on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawalkote routes to connect Kashmiris on both sides of the LoC. Five crossing points on the LoC were opened to enable movement of people. India has allowed separatist politicians to travel to Pakistan for the first time, and Pakistan has received elected politicians from Indian-administered Kashmir (which it previously refused to do). These CBMs have been a significant symbolic advances for both India and Pakistan’s relations and for the people of Kashmir.

UK Position on Kashmir

We continue to urge both countries to seek a lasting resolution to the issue of Kashmir, which takes into account the wishes of the Kashmiri people. We have called for an end to all external support for violence in Kashmir, and an improvement in the human rights situation there.


We remain committed to our engagement in a very practical way through the UK Government’s Confliction Prevention Pool, which continues to fund a number of projects designed to assist those in India, Pakistan and on both sides of the Line of Control with their efforts to facilitate dialogue and address the causes and impact of conflict in the region.  For more information please see the ‘Funding Programmes’ pages of the website.
 

The Commonwealth

Pakistan was suspended from the Councils of the Commonwealth following the coup of October 1999 and reinstated in 2004. At the CHOGM meeting in Malta in November 2005, Heads of Government welcomed the progress made by Pakistan in restoring democracy and rebuilding democratic institutions as well as Pakistan's participation in the Commonwealth since its reinstatement by CMAG in May 2004.

They also 'noted that the holding by the same person of the offices of Head of State and Chief of Army staff is incompatible with the basic principles of democracy' and 'reiterated that until the two offices are separated, the process of democratisation in Pakistan will not be irreversible.' They 'urged Pakistan to resolve this issue as early as possible.'

Following the declaration of a state of emergency and the suspension of the constitution in Pakistan on 3 November 2007, CMAG met in London on 12 November in an extraordinary session to consider the situation. CMAG agreed that at its next meeting on 22 November, if there had not been sufficient progress in lifting the state of the emergency and restoring constitutional order, then Pakistan would be suspended from the Councils of the Commonwealth. The suspension was duly confirmed on the eve of CHOGM in Kampala.

Following the ending of the state of Emergency, President Musharraf’s stepping down as Chief of Army Staff and the holding of provincial and parliamentary elections in February 2008, CMAG met to review Pakistan’s suspension on 12 May 2008 and agreed that the Government of Pakistan had taken positive steps to fulfil its obligations in accordance with Commonwealth fundamental values and principles. Pakistan was therefore restored to the Councils of the Commonwealth with immediate effect.

The Commonwealth website

EU

Having suspended relations with Pakistan following the 1999 coup, the EU restored full relations in 2001.

An EU-Pakistan Summit was held on 17 June 2009. The Summit established a long-term strategic partnership to deepen their relationship on specific areas, including trade, development, security, democracy, governance and promotion of human rights.

The EU is Pakistan's largest trading partner. In 2007, the EU exports to Pakistan stood at € 3.7 billion and EU imports from Pakistan at € 3.4 billion.

Full details, including the European Commission's Country Strategy Paper for Pakistan, are available on the Commission's website.

Relations with the UK

Relations between the UK and the people of Pakistan are warm and close, made even more so by the substantial number of Pakistani origin British citizens (some 1 million) who live in the UK. UK-Pakistan co-operation covers the following key issues: counter-terrorism, counter-proliferation, migration, regional stability, development and strengthening democracy and respect for human rights.


The UK has committed £665 million to fight poverty in Pakistan from 2009-2013, over this period Pakistan will become one of the UK's largest aid recipients. Pakistan has been offered the UK’s full support in countering terrorism, including prevention of extremism through support for development and education; exchanges on forensic training, investigating the financing of terrorism and the sharing of crisis management expertise. Prime Minister Gordon Brown has visited Pakistan twice, and Foreign Secretary David Miliband has visited five times; this demonstrates the value we place on the UK’s friendship with Pakistan.

Outgoing high-level visits from the UK have included:

  • Secretary of State of Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, David Miliband - Jul 2009
  • Prime Minister Gordon Brown - Apr 2009
  • Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Gillian Merron, Feb 2009
  • Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, David Miliband -Jan 2009
  • Prime Minister Gordon Brown - Dec 2008
  • Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, David Miliband -Nov 2008
  • Permanent Under Secretary of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Sir Peter Ricketts – Oct 2008
  • Leader of Conservative Party, David Cameron, and Shadow Foreign Secretary, William Hague – Sep 2008
  • Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor, Jack Straw – Sep 2008
  • Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Hazel Blears – July 2008
  • Secretary of State for International Development, Douglas Alexander – July 2008
  • Secretary of State for Defence, Des Brown – May 2008
  • Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, David Miliband -April 2008
  • Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith - Apr 2008
  • FCO Minister of State, Lord Malloch-Brown – Oct 2007
  • Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, David Miliband - July 2007
  • HRH The Prince of Wales - Oct 2006

Ministerial visits from Pakistan have included:

  • President Asif Ali Zardari - August 2009
  • Interior Minister Rehman Malik - June 2009
  • President Asif Ali Zardari - May 2009
  • Foreign Minister Makhdoom shah Mehmood Qureshi - May 2009
  • Chief of Army Staff, General Kayani - March 2009
  • Federal Minister for Commerce, Makhdoom Amin Fahim - March 2009
  • Interior Adviser Rehman Malik - Jan 2009
  • Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ms. Sherry Rehman – Nov 2008
  • President Asif Ali Zardari – September 2008
  • Foreign Minister Makhdoom shah Mehmood Qureshi – July 2008
  • Interior Adviser Rehman Malik- July 2008
  • President Pervez Musharraf -  Jan 2008

 

UK Development Assistance

The Department for International Development (DFID) is the part of the UK Government that manages Britain’s aid to poor countries. Their work is focused on achieving the Millennium Development Goals - the United Nations targets for fighting poverty that must be met by 2015. DFID work with charities, international organisations and the governments of poor countries to find lasting solutions to the global problem of poverty.

DFID: Working to reduce poverty in Pakistan


The UK / Pakistan Development Partnership Arrangement signed in 2006 is a ten-year joint vision of how we will work together. The agreement is based on a shared resolve to reduce poverty, address corruption, respect international human rights obligations and improve coordination between donors.

DfID is providing £665m of assistance to Pakistan from 2009 to 2013.  By 2011, it will be the UK's second largest development programme worldwide.

DFID Pakistan’s 5 year Country Plan 2008 – 2013 focuses on:

  • giving people access to better health and education;
  • making government more effective;
  • making growth work for everyone;
  • ensuring the international community works better together.

As well as providing support at the federal level, the programme helps three of Pakistan’s poorest provinces: North West Frontier Province (NWFP), Punjab and Balochistan. 


For further information on our programmes and activities, please visit the DFID Pakistan website at http://www.dfid.gov.uk/Where-we-work/Asia-South/Pakistan/

UK Assistance for the South Asia Earthquake

An earthquake measuring 7.6 struck northern Pakistan on 8 October 2005. The tremors were felt as far away as India and Afghanistan. The earthquake affected 3.5 million people and cost the lives of over 75,000 people in the region. 3 million people have lost their homes. DFID worked with the Government of Pakistan and the Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC) to deliver much needed emergency assistance.

Pakistan and the international community have moved from emergency relief to long-term reconstruction and rehabilitation of the affected area. DFID has committed £70 million over the next 3 years to help re-build the lives of those in the earthquake area. The UK's total contribution of £128 million means we are the 4th largest donor country.

Defence cooperation

The Defence Cooperation Forum (DCF) provides a framework to discuss security in the region, military contacts, defence cooperation and equipment sales. The DCF meets annually.

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Contacts

Pakistan

Address:

High Commission for the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
35–36 Lowndes Square
London SW1X 9JN

Telephone:

(020) 7664 9227 and (020) 7664 9232 (High Commissioner's Office)
(020) 7664 9200 (Embassy)

Fax:

(020) 7664 9224

Office hours:

Mon–Fri: 0930–1730
Mon–Thur: 1000–1300; Fri: 1000-1230 (Consular)

Website: http://www.phclondon.org