Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Tuesday expressed hope that the impending Brexit deal — Britian's planned withdrawal from the European Union — would open new opportunities for trade and development for both the United Kingdom and Pakistan.

The foreign minister, according to a press release by the Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson, made those remarks during a phone call with British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Jeremy Hunt.

Qureshi appreciated expanded bilateral cooperation between the two countries and stressed that the UK was an important trade and investment partner of Pakistan.

The duo discussed a wide range of regional and bilateral issues of mutual interest and expressed satisfaction at the current state of their relations, the FO spokesperson said.

Qureshi and Hunt agreed to hold the fourth round of the Pakistan-UK Enhanced Strategic Dialogue in London during the first quarter of 2019.

The two diplomats expressed satisfaction at the finalisation of "protocol on transfer of prisoners" between the countries, which the FO said would be signed shortly.

Furthermore, the two sides "reaffirmed their commitment to enhance bilateral cooperation, particularly in the spheres of regional security, counterterrorism, organised crime, money laundering and asset recovery".