ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Poland on Thursday agreed to deepen their political and economic ties during talks in Islamabad, as both countries pledged to transform their relationship into what they called a “comprehensive and mutually beneficial partnership”.

“Today, we reaffirmed our resolve to transform these relations into a comprehensive and mutually beneficial partnership,” said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar after his meeting with Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski.

Mr Sikorski is in Pakistan on a two-day visit, his second to the country, following his previous trip in 2011. The talks focused on expanding cooperation in trade, investment, energy, defence, education, and counterterrorism.

“The meeting covered a broad range of issues, including bilateral economic ties, regional affairs, and global governance,” Mr Sikorski said. “We also discussed further cooperation in mining and the energy sector, building on the success of such engagements as the Polish oil and gas company exploring natural gas in Pakistan.”

Dar, Sikorski vow to transform bilateral ties into comprehensive, mutually beneficial partnership

Pakistan-Poland ties, rooted in WWII-era Polish refugee shelters in Karachi and Quetta, as well as Poland’s foundational role in the Pakistan Air Force, have evolved into a robust partnership marked by over $1 billion in annual bilateral trade.

Existing Polish investments in Pakistan total nearly $500 million, primarily by ORLEN (formerly PGNiG) in oil and gas exploration and production since 1997. The company plans to double this in the next 10 years.

Mr Dar said both sides recognised the “immense potential” to expand cooperation and agreed to enhance collaboration across multiple fields, including trade, energy, infrastructure, science and technology, and education.

Poland also raised concerns over illegal migration through Belarus, with Mr Sikorski warning that his country faced a continuing hybrid threat at its eastern border.

According to the Polish foreign ministry, Mr Sikorski briefed Mr Dar on the migration crisis along the Polish-Belarusian border, saying that “Pakistani citizens are also being used in these activities”.

On the sidelines of the talks, both sides signed two memorandums of understanding — one between their foreign ministries to facilitate better coordination, and another between their strategic research institutes to promote dialogue between think tanks and enhance policy cooperation.

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2025