Overview
The Relationship by Theme
Diplomatic Engagement
10 Apr 2026: The UK Prime Minister spoke to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, welcomed the ceasefire in the Middle East and thanked Pakistan for its critical role. Both recognised the long and deep ties between the two countries. (GOV.UK)
Jun 2026: Hamish Falconer, Minister for the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan, visited Islamabad and thanked Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar for Pakistan's role in brokering the US-Iran peace deal. (GOV.UK)
27 to 30 Aug 2026: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar visited the United Kingdom, meeting British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, Minister of State Stephen Doughty and National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell, as well as Pakistan-origin British parliamentarians and the Pakistani community. (MOFA Pakistan, Radio Pakistan)
6 Oct 2026: On his first visit to Pakistan as UK Minister of State for the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan, Stephen Doughty met Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar. The two sides agreed to work towards the early operationalisation of the Pakistan-UK Bilateral Political Dialogue. (GOV.UK, Radio Pakistan)
23 Oct 2026: The foreign ministers of Pakistan, Turkiye, Egypt and Saudi Arabia (the R4) met their counterparts from France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom in Istanbul on regional security and freedom of navigation, and agreed to continue dialogue in this format. (MOFA Pakistan, joint press release)
Trade & Investment
Year to Q1 2026: Total UK-Pakistan trade in goods and services was £5.5 billion: UK exports to Pakistan £3.1 billion and imports from Pakistan £2.4 billion. Pakistan was the UK's 45th largest trading partner. The stock of UK direct investment in Pakistan stood at £1.3 billion at the end of 2024. (UK Department for Business and Trade factsheet)
14 Jul 2025: The inaugural ministerial UK-Pakistan Trade Dialogue in London, co-chaired by Douglas Alexander and Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan, created a UK-Pakistan Business Advisory Council and agreed annual ministerial meetings. (GOV.UK, GOV.UK joint statement)
8 Oct 2026: Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan and British High Commissioner Jane Marriott discussed preparations for the next round of the Trade Dialogue, covering healthcare, IT, agriculture, financial services, aviation and minerals. (Radio Pakistan)
19 Jun 2023: Pakistan qualified for the UK's Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) when it came into force, giving its exports duty-free access to the UK market. (Dawn)
Apr 2026: A UK-funded programme began training the Geological Survey of Pakistan in digital surveying and mapping, to support investment in the minerals sector. (GOV.UK)
Security & Migration
17 to 18 Feb 2025 / 4 Nov 2026: The Counter-Terrorism Dialogue met in London and then in Islamabad. (MOFA Pakistan, Dawn, citing the Foreign Office)
16 Jul 2025: The 7th round of the UK-Pakistan Dialogue on Arms Control, Non-Proliferation and Disarmament was held in London. (GOV.UK joint statement)
Jun 2026: The UK committed an additional £8 million to joint work on crime and illegal migration, including border and visa systems and action against people-smuggling networks. (GOV.UK)
Climate & Development
Dec 2025: The two governments signed the UK-Pakistan Green Compact, the framework for cooperation on climate, clean energy, climate finance and green skills. (GOV.UK)
27 to 28 Oct 2026: A UK-supported Climate Finance Accelerator roadshow in Karachi presented 10 Pakistani climate businesses seeking a combined US$51 million in investment. (GOV.UK)
Education & People-to-People
2024-25: More than 15,000 students in Pakistan studied for UK qualifications through transnational education. Pakistan is the fourth-largest host country for UK transnational education. (GOV.UK)
Aug 2026: 33 Pakistani scholars prepared for UK study under the Chevening and Commonwealth scholarship schemes. (GOV.UK)
Census 2021: 1,587,822 people in England and Wales identified their ethnicity as Pakistani, 2.7% of the population. (UK Government, Census 2021)
16 Jul 2025: The UK removed Pakistan and its airlines from the UK Air Safety List, allowing Pakistani carriers to apply to resume direct flights. (Dawn)
