PESHAWAR, March 6: British secretary of state for foreign and commonwealthaffairs, Jack Straw had said thatBritain's development assistance to Pakistan would rise to 200 million pounds over the next three years registering a considerable growth in comparison with a couple of years ago.

Britain's development to Pakistan, he maintained, this year would be 70 million pounds, four times higher than two years ago.

"It will amount to over 200 million pounds over the next three years. It is focused on areas such as education and health that can make a real difference to the lives of those who live in poverty," Mr Straw said in his lecture to the teachers and students of the University of Peshawar at the varsity's Area Study Centre, here on Friday.

He said economic relationship between the UK and Pakistan was prospering, helped by robust growth in both the countries. He added that UK was the biggest foreign investor in Pakistan with household names such as Unilever, Cadbury, BP and Standard Chartered active here.

"Britain is Pakistan's fifth largest export market, our trade is worth more than 800 million pounds every year and it is growing every year," he pointed out.

He said that Britain's relationship with Pakistan was not that of two distant countries, rather, it was a living part of both the countries, in their history and in their culture.