LAHORE: British Home Secretary Sajid Javid called on Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar at his office on Tuesday.

Both sides agreed to promote cooperation in health and education sectors and rule of law programme. Mr Javid congratulated Mr Buzdar on his new assignment and extended good wishes to him.

Mr Buzdar said Prime Minister Imran Khan laid the foundation of a new Pakistan and the journey of change had started from Punjab where an MPA belonging to a remote and deprived area had been made the chief minister. He said Pakistan and the UK are strong partners in the journey of development and prosperity and unique programmes had been initiated in health, education and other areas in collaboration with the DFID.

Mr Buzdar said the Punjab government intended to expand these programmes so that more and more people could benefit from their fruit, he added. He said his government appreciated the British cooperation and we were desirous to bring further improvements in different sectors of life in future with the cooperation of the UK.

Mr Javid expressed said the Punjab government was working hard for the public welfare, adding that the British government wanted to further promote cooperation with the Punjab government in the future.

“We will work collectively to promote opportunities relating to business, education and development targets,” he added.

According to him, Pakistan achieved wonderful successes in the war against terrorism and terror and fanaticism were collective challenge to all of us. It is sanguine that terrorism incidents have decreased in Pakistan, he added.

Mr Javid said his parents belonged to Sahiwal district of Punjab and he had a special relationship with Pakistan despite being a British citizen.

Published in Dawn, September 19th, 2018