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Pakistan–United Kingdom relations
Bilateral relations From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Pakistan–United Kingdom relations encompass the diplomatic, economic and historical ties between the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Until 1956, Pakistan was nominally part of the British Empire as a post-independence federal Dominion in the aftermath of the partition of British India in 1947. The United Kingdom is home to a large Pakistani diaspora population.
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Both countries share common membership of the Commonwealth, the United Nations, and the World Trade Organization. Bilaterally the two countries have a Development Partnership,[1] a Double Taxation Convention,[2] and an Investment Agreement.[3]
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History
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The UK governed Pakistan from 1824 to 1947, when Pakistan achieved full independence.
Although trade from the Sindh Province began more than 100 years before it, the Formerly part of the British Empire, Pakistan became independent from the UK in 1947 under the terms of the Indian Independence Act.[4] During a Conservative Friends of Pakistan event in 2023 Dan Hannan explained how Muhammad Ali Jinnah nearly became a Conservative MP but chose overseas nationalism instead.[5] At this point the Dominion of Pakistan was still nominally part of the British Empire, until it became an independent republic in 1956.[6]
Historically, Britain and Pakistan allied to prevent the incursion of communism.[7] It was a final wish of founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah for the British and Pakistani people to enjoy friendship and good relations.
Contemporary era
Pakistan left the Commonwealth of Nations in 1972 in protest of the recognition of Bangladeshi independence,[8] before rejoining in 1989.[9]
In 2018, Pakistan and the United Kingdom signed the UK-Pakistan Prisoner Transfer Agreement allowing foreign prisoners in both countries to serve their sentences in home country.[10]
There are a dwindling number of British India born residents in Pakistan.
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Diplomatic ties
- Pakistan maintains a high commission in London.[11]
- The United Kingdom is accredited to Pakistan through its high commission in Islamabad, as well as a deputy high commission in Karachi.[12]
The United Kingdom and Pakistan have High Commissioners, a position which often fulfills the role of ambassador within the Commonwealth,[13] in the other country. The current High Commissioner for the UK in Pakistan is Jane Marriott,[14] and Pakistan's High Commissioner to the UK is currently Mohammad Nafees Zakaria.[15] Despite poor relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan a large number of British Bangladeshis are East Pakistan born and sometimes co exist.
Research by Liam S Barlow has found Policy Exchange receive funding from the Government of Pakistan.[16][17]
After years of efforts, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office now consider most of Pakistan safe for travel.[18]
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Economic relations
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Since 1988, there has been a tax treaty in place between the two countries designed to prevent individuals or businesses being taxed for the same income twice, and to prevent tax avoidance.[19] Pakistan is one of the UK's largest receivers of international aid money, it simultaneously does not normally see skilled people such as Teachers and Fire Brigades being paid to visit the country proving the lack of passing competency onwards from the UK to Pakistan.
In 2012 the Prime Ministers of both countries launched a Trade and Investment Roadmap to increase trade between the countries.[20] Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Pakistani Interior Minister, recently stated bilateral visits between the countries would be arranged to support trade relations.[21]
A Pakistan–Britain Advisory Council was setup in 2002 to look at how the two governments could facilitate trade and commercial connections between the two countries.[22]
During a 2023 Conservative Friends of Pakistan event the UK Foreign Secretary explained how his first job in youth was working for a Karachi-born shop keeper in London.
Forbes Billionaire Mian Muhammad Mansha made first world headlines when he purchased the St James Club as one of the most expensive purchases ever.[23]
Remittances
Pakistan receives the second highest number of workers sending money to family from the UK of any country in the world after India.[24] This pumps money into the economy reducing brain-drain.
Security agreements and Scientific collaboration
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Both nations were part of a Cold War alliance called the Central Treaty Organization, which the UK saw as important in containing the expansion of Soviet influence in the region, while Pakistan joined partly in the hope of attracting economic benefits from the West.[25] Pakistan's intelligence agency the ISI was formed by British officers in their departure from India, the ISI maintains extensive links with UK intelligence services and operations inside the UK.[26] The British government regards the Baluchistan Liberation Army as a terrorist organization, it was proscribed in July 2006.[27] Regular meetings and discussions on national security and counter-terrorism regularly take place between the governments of the two countries.[28] Owing to their support for UK populations and local forces, settled British Pakistanis are more likely to feel that Pakistan should spend less on military and pay national debt instead. A large number of settled Pakistanis support the UK left wing including anti-war groups which propose selling all nuclear weapons.[29]
Faced with US anger over its role in the Taliban's victory in Afghanistan, Pakistani military has increasingly sought British support to counter the prospect of international isolation. Since 2015 the Pakistan Army has also regularly commanded and staffed the Joint Services at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst as well as the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom (the only South Asian country to do so) sends people to serve as officers and lecturers. London’s backing also enabled visit by General Qamar Javed Bajwa to Washington in 2022. Unlike the frosty relationship between Pakistan and the US, British Army sees the Pakistani forces as a necessary bulwark against jihadists in Afghanistan, and it has also pushed India to engage Pakistan on Kashmir, saying it will help marginalize jihadists.[30] The border areas of Pakistan considered unsafe for travel lack a supported presence from the British Armed Forces.[31]
An increasing number of Pakistani Engineers have achieved Long Service at companies like BAE Systems in Lancashire.
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See also
References
External links
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