Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, during his state visit to the United Kingdom, attended a dinner on Sunday hosted by UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper in honour of visiting ministers and discussed a range of bilateral issues.

Pakistan and the UK share a longstanding relationship characterised by historical ties, trade, and a significant Pakistani diaspora in the UK. In 2024, Pakistan was the kingdom’s 51st largest trade partner, while the UK ranked as Pakistan’s third-largest, following China and the United States. The UK also stands as the third-largest source of remittance inflows to Pakistan, trailing only Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

During the event, Chaudhry held discussions with Cooper on various bilateral matters, focusing on strengthening cooperation between the two countries.

Today, the minister is set to hold key meetings with the UK Home Secretary and interior ministers from other countries, where topics such as effective border management, prevention of illegal immigration, and enhancing bilateral relations will be discussed in detail.

“Pakistan is committed to strengthening global cooperation on effective border management and addressing the challenges of illegal immigration,” Chaudhry stated.

He reiterated that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi have emphasised strict measures for border security and immigration control to ensure national stability and security.

Last month, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb had also expressed the desire to work for more robust relations with the UK during an engagement with the British Parliamentary Undersecretary of State for the Middle East, Pakistan and Afghanistan, Hamish Falconer, in Portugal.

The two sides had also discussed matters of mutual interest, including investment opportunities in Pakistan in energy, minerals, and infrastructure sectors.