Parliamentary Secretary for Information and Broadcasting Danyal Chaudhry on Wednesday met British High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott to discuss cooperation between Islamabad and London.

Pakistan and the United Kingdom have been engaged in the Enhanced Strategic Dialogue (ESD) since 2011, which has deepened and broadened the dialogue between the two countries, covering areas such as trade, economic growth and development, cultural cooperation, security, and education.

During the meeting, held in Islamabad, Chaudhry highlighted Pakistan’s ‘democratic trajectory’ and emphasised that constructive dialogue and strong institutions were essential for a sustainable democracy.

“The meeting also touched on matters concerning Pakistani-origin citizens in the UK, including taxation and general facilitation,” the press release read. “Marriott welcomed ongoing efforts to support overseas Pakistanis and expressed interest in further collaboration to enhance services for the diaspora.”

Chaudhry stressed, during the discussion, the importance of empowering local governments to deliver services and advance development, the press release said. He also highlighted efforts being made by Pakistan’s government to counter misinformation and project its narrative internationally.

He also invited Marriott to observe educational reforms undertaken in his constituency. “His efforts focus on building international-standard institutions and increasing enrollment in public schools,” the press release read.

“The meeting participants also discussed different strategies to alleviate poverty and improve the standard of living of people living below the poverty line.”

Earlier this week, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had undertaken a two-day official visit to the UK, where he not only met British counterpart Angela Rayner, but also with British lawmakers of Pakistani origin, as well as Kashmiri leaders.

Earlier this month, both nations pledged to deepen their partnership across key sectors, with a renewed focus on defence cooperation and strategic dialogue. This consensus was reached during a meeting between Mariott and Minister for Defence Production Muhammad Raza Hayat Harraj in Rawalpindi.

“Pakistan considers the United Kingdom a close friend and a genuine development partner,” Harraj said, according to a statement. “Frequent interaction has been useful in coordinating our approaches to various bilateral, regional and international issues. The two sides agreed to enhance cooperation in all fields, including defence.”