Pakistan and UK agree to deepen bilateral cooperation, address climate challenges

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar gestures during the meeting with British Under-Secretary of State Hamish Falconer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad on November 19, 2024. (Photo courtesy: MOFA)
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  • British Under-Secretary of State Hamish Falconer meets Deputy PM Ishaq Dar in Islamabad
  • Pakistan is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate change impacts

ISLAMABAD: British Under-Secretary of State Hamish Falconer called on Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday to discuss bilateral cooperation between the two countries and challenges related to climate change, state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported. 
Pakistan is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change, according to the Global Climate Risk Index. Floods in 2022, which scientists said were aggravated by global warming, affected at least 33 million people and killed more than 1,700 and cost the nation an estimated $33 billion. Pakistan’s economic struggles and high debt burden put a strain on its resources and impinged the country’s ability to respond to the disaster.
The South Asian country has also experienced frequent erratic weather patterns, which range from droughts to heat waves and intense rainfall. This year, Pakistan recorded its “wettest April since 1961,” after recording 59.3 millimeters of rainfall, while some areas of the country faced deadly heatwaves in May and June.
“Pakistan and the United Kingdom have agreed to deepen bilateral cooperation and address climate change-related challenges,” Radio Pakistan reported. 
It said both leaders also discussed regional and bilateral issues of common interest, with Dar reaffirming Pakistan’s desire to further strengthen traditionally cordial ties with the UK.  
Pakistan and the UK enjoy strong military, economic and educational ties, with the latter hosting a large Pakistani diaspora.
The two countries have recently witnessed high-level visits between their military leaderships, indicating a strengthening of defense ties and collaboration. The relationship between the two countries is underpinned by shared history and the presence of a significant Pakistani diaspora in the country.