Latest news with #AmnaBaloch
Business Recorder
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Peace, uplift: Pakistan, China reaffirm commitment
**ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China have reaffirmed their commitment to work together to achieve the common goal of regional peace and development. Army chief secures renewed commitments from China Chinese Special Envoy on Afghan Affairs, Ambassador Yue Xiaoyong, called on Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch, here on Saturday, said a Foreign Office (FO) statement. The two sides exchanged views on regional cooperation and security challenges, the statement added.** Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Arab News
23-07-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Pakistan, Bangladesh agree in principle on visa-free entry in sign of deepening diplomatic thaw
KARACHI: Pakistan and Bangladesh have reached a principled agreement to allow visa-free entry for diplomatic and official passport holders, Islamabad said on Wednesday, a move signaling a further thaw in bilateral ties long shaped by historical hostility. Wednesday's agreement marks one of the most concrete outcomes of a rapprochement between Pakistan and Bangladesh, particularly in the realm of internal security cooperation and diplomatic facilitation. In recent months both countries have taken steps to rebuild ties. The last high-level Pakistani visit to Dhaka was by Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch earlier this year, part of a broader effort by Islamabad to reset regional relations amid shifting geopolitical alignments and shared security concerns. The decision on the visa pact was announced during a high-level meeting between Pakistan's Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Bangladesh's Home Minister Lt. Gen. (R) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, held in Dhaka on Wednesday. 'A significant breakthrough was achieved on the facilitation of visa-free entry for holders of diplomatic and official passports, and both countries reached a principled agreement on this matter,' a statement by the Pakistani interior ministry said, without providing an implementation date for the pact. The two sides also agreed to bolster cooperation on internal security, police training, counterterrorism, anti-narcotics, and efforts to combat human trafficking. A joint committee will now be formed to institutionalize this cooperation, to be led on Pakistan's side by Federal Interior Secretary Khurram Agha. The two ministers agreed to launch exchange programs between police academies, and a Bangladeshi delegation will soon visit Pakistan's National Police Academy in Islamabad, the statement said. 'Your visit is of great significance for strengthening bilateral relations between our two countries,' Bangladesh's Home Minister, who welcomed Naqvi with a guard of honor at the Ministry of Home Affairs, was quoted as saying in the Pakistani statement. He also expressed appreciation for Pakistan's offer to provide training opportunities for Bangladeshi police officers. For decades, Bangladesh enjoyed historically close ties with Pakistan's archrival India, its wartime ally and key economic partner. Relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh, previously a part of Pakistan, on the other hand have historically been tense, rooted in the violent 1971 war that led to Bangladesh's independence and accusations of wartime atrocities. Diplomatic engagement remained minimal for years, and high-level visits were rare. But that regional alignment has shifted dramatically since the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India following her government's collapse last year. As Dhaka's relations with New Delhi have cooled amid accusations of political interference and border tensions, its diplomatic engagement with Islamabad has deepened, marking a rare reset between two countries long divided by history.
Business Recorder
18-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
EU, Pakistan reaffirm commitment to implement ‘Strategic Engagement Plan'
ISLAMABAD: The European Union (EU) and Pakistan reaffirmed their commitment to the implementation of Strategic Engagement Plan (SEP) signed in 2019. Both sides aim at further deepening cooperation in all areas covered under the SEP. The two sides also reiterated their resolve to continue close engagement under the GSP+ framework. Pakistan signs €20mn grant deal with EU to boost governance, business environment They acknowledged the meaningful cooperation on various aspects of migration, aiming at holding the third Comprehensive Migration and Mobility Dialogue later in 2025. The 10th Political Dialogue between the EU and Pakistan took place on 17 July in Brussels. The dialogue covered key issues of the EU-Pakistan bilateral cooperation, as well as regional and international issues, including multilateral cooperation. Both sides agreed to deepen dialogue and discussions on security-related issues. Besides bilateral cooperation, both sides also exchanged views on regional and global issues. The EU and Pakistan acknowledged the importance of multifaceted cooperation on security matters, including counter-terrorism and counter-narcotics. They condemned all forms of terrorism. Both sides agreed on the need for efforts based on dialogue and diplomacy in order to solve contentious issues and underscored the importance of upholding international law and the sanctity of international agreements/treaties. The parties exchanged views on the situation in Ukraine as well as Jammu and Kashmir. Both sides stressed the need to find peaceful solutions to conflicts, in full respect of the principles of international law and the UN Charter. They agreed on the urgent need to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Both sides called for the resumption of a ceasefire, and expressed support for initiatives that contribute to a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace in Palestine in accordance with the two-state solution. The two sides reaffirmed their aspiration to convene the 7th Strategic Dialogue in 2025, underscoring its importance in strengthening Pakistan-EU cooperation. They agreed to hold the next Political Dialogue meeting in 2026 in Islamabad. The EU delegation was headed by Olof Skoog, Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service and the Pakistani delegation by Amna Baloch, foreign secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Arab News
17-07-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Pakistan, EU renew GSP+ commitment, discuss counterterror cooperation, Middle East peace efforts
ISLAMABAD: Senior officials from Islamabad and the European Union on Thursday resolved to continue their engagement under the Generalized Scheme of Preference Plus (GSP+) framework, discussing counterterror collaboration and peace efforts in Gaza, Pakistan's foreign office said. Europe's GSP+ scheme grants beneficiary countries' exports duty-free access to the European market in exchange for voluntarily agreeing to implement 27 international core conventions, including those on human and civil rights. In October 2023, the EU unanimously voted to extend GSP+ status until 2027 for developing countries, including Pakistan. Olof Skoog, the deputy secretary general of the European External Action Service and Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch led the delegations from both sides, as they held the 10th Political Dialogue in Brussels on Thursday. 'The two sides reiterated their resolve to continue close engagement under the GSP+ framework,' Pakistan's foreign office said. 'They acknowledged the meaningful cooperation on various aspects of migration, aiming to hold the third Comprehensive Migration and Mobility Dialogue later in 2025.' The statement said both sides also discussed views on regional and global issues, stressing the importance of multifaceted cooperation on security matters, including counterterrorism and counter-narcotics. Both delegations condemned all forms of 'terrorism,' the foreign office said. Brussels and Islamabad discussed the Ukraine conflict and the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan as well, pushing for dialogue. 'Both sides agreed on the need for efforts based on dialogue and diplomacy in order to solve contentious issues and underscored the importance of upholding international law and the sanctity of international agreements/treaties,' it added. The two sides also exchanged views on the evolving situation in the Middle East, where Israel has killed over 57,000 Palestinians in Gaza in military operations since October 2023. 'They agreed on the urgent need to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza,' the statement said. 'Both sides called for the resumption of a ceasefire, and expressed support for initiatives that contribute to a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace in Palestine in accordance with the two-state solution.' Islamabad considers EU a vital trading partner. Pakistan has become the largest beneficiary of the GSP+ trade scheme in recent years, with its businesses increasing their exports to the EU market by 108 percent since the trade scheme was launched in 2014.
Business Recorder
17-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Islamabad, EU agree to enhance cooperation across key sectors
Pakistan and the European Union (EU) on Thursday held the 10th round of their Political Dialogue in Brussels, reaffirming their commitment to strengthen the broad-based partnership and expand cooperation across key sectors, including diplomacy, security, trade, and multilateral engagement. Foreign Secretary Ambassador Amna Baloch led the Pakistani delegation, while the EU side was headed by Ambassador Olaf Skoog, Deputy Secretary-General of the European External Action Service (EEAS), according to a statement issued by the Foreign Office. Pakistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan sign rail link agreement under UAP corridor The meeting reviewed progress under the Strategic Engagement Plan (SEP) signed in 2019, covering all its pillars. Both sides discussed the full spectrum of bilateral cooperation and agreed to explore incorporating enhanced security-related aspects into the existing framework of the Political Dialogue. Regional and global developments of mutual interest, including situations in South Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, were also discussed in depth. EU and Pakistan hold talks on global, regional peace and strategic stability The two sides noted areas of strategic convergence and expressed commitment to diplomacy, multilateralism, and the peaceful resolution of conflicts. They also agreed to deepen collaboration in multilateral forums, including the United Nations, and to build on the momentum of recent high-level exchanges to further institutionalise and expand engagement under structured dialogue mechanisms.
