Islamabad (TDI): UK Minister of State for the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan Stephen Doughty has concluded his first official visit to Pakistan in the role, with talks focused on expanding economic cooperation, strengthening trade ties, improving education partnerships and addressing regional security challenges.
During his visit, Doughty held meetings with Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Minister for Law, Justice and Human Rights Azam Nazeer Tarar.
According to the British government, discussions covered economic growth and trade, regional security, stability in Afghanistan, counter-terrorism cooperation and efforts to reduce the risk of escalation in the region.
“The UK and Pakistan share deep and historic ties, built on the connections between our people, businesses and institutions,” Doughty said.
He said his first visit had focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation across areas including growth, trade, education, security and regional stability.
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Education was another major component of the minister’s visit, with Doughty meeting representatives of Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission, universities and the British Council to discuss the expansion of partnerships between British and Pakistani institutions.
The discussions focused particularly on transnational education and expanding access to UK qualifications in Pakistan, including cooperation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, healthcare and technology.
More than 15,000 Pakistani students studied for UK qualifications in Pakistan through transnational education programs during the 2024-25 academic year, according to the British government. The figure represents an 83 percent increase over the past decade.
Pakistan is currently the fourth-largest host country globally for UK transnational education, while British institutions account for around 65 percent of Pakistan’s transnational education market.
Doughty said there was significant potential to expand education cooperation further, particularly through partnerships between universities in the two countries.
The British Council is planning to bring a delegation of UK universities to Pakistan next March to explore additional institutional partnerships. The initiative includes an ambition to have more than 100 British universities working with Pakistani institutions by the end of the decade.
The minister also met members of civil society and reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to human rights and democratic freedoms. He held discussions with politicians from across Pakistan’s political spectrum on the broader bilateral relationship.
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Security and regional developments remained another key element of the visit. The UK and Pakistan discussed the situation in Afghanistan, counter-terrorism cooperation and regional stability, as both sides continue to engage on issues affecting security in South and Central Asia. The talks also covered migration and wider people-to-people connections between the two countries.
The UK and Pakistan maintain extensive social and economic links, with around 1.7 million people of Pakistani heritage living in the United Kingdom.
Bilateral trade is worth around £5.5 billion annually, according to the British government, with both countries seeking to expand commercial and investment ties.
Doughty’s visit comes as London and Islamabad continue efforts to deepen cooperation across economic, educational and security sectors, while maintaining engagement on regional issues including Afghanistan and counter-terrorism.
