Prime Minister announces Pakistan trade boost
Prime Minister David Cameron has announced an agreement to increase bilateral trade with Pakistan to £2.5 billion per year by 2015.
Speaking in a press conference with Pakistan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, Mr Cameron outlined further trade-related actions including pushing for greater access for Pakistan to European markets, supporting economic reform in Pakistan and encouraging British business to invest more in the country.
The Prime Minister said that discussions had also covered security issues and the situation in neighbouring Afghanistan.
He said there was “no higher shared priority” than the question of security and that the UK and Pakistan should work together to tackle extremist ideology, increase operational cooperation and support the political process in Afghanistan.
Prime Minister Gilani added that peace and stability in Afghanistan was a “strategic objective” for his country.
On education, Mr Cameron announced a commitment to help Pakistan place four million children in schools by 2015. Prior to official talks this morning he met staff and pupils at the Islamabad College for Girls and visited the Faisal Mosque in the capital.