Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar hailed the visit of his Polish counterpart to Pakistan on Thursday as “significant”, saying that during the delegation-level talks, the two sides had agreed to expand bilateral cooperation.
“During the delegation-level talks, Minister Sikorski and I took stock of the Pakistan-Poland bilateral ties, which continue to develop on a very positive trajectory. We have over a billion-dollar bilateral trade and both sides agreed that there remains immense untapped potential to further expand trade and economic cooperation.
“We agreed to expand bilateral cooperation in trade, energy, infrastructure, defence, counter-terrorism, science and technology and education,” Dar said during a joint press conference with Poland’s Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, who landed in Islamabad today on a two-day official visit.
At the outset of the press conference, Dar welcomed his Polish counterpart, mentioning that this was his second visit to Pakistan, the last being in 2011.
Moreover, he said, Sikorski was “no stranger in this part of the world”, having served as a war correspondent in the region during 1980s.
Dar underlined that Pakistan attached great importance to its ties with Poland.
“Poland’s struggle for freedom and independence is exemplary,” he said, further stating that Pakistan and Poland shared a “unique historical connection”.
“During World War II, thousands of Polish refugees found shelter in present-day Pakistan i.e. in Karachi and Quetta.”
He also recalled and lauded the role of Polish pilots and engineers in laying the foundation of the Pakistan Air Force.
Dar continued that with this shared historical context, Pakistan viewed Poland as an important partner, bilaterally, as well as in the European Union.
Polish FM lands in Islamabad
Earlier today, the Foreign Office said in a post social media platform X that “Deputy prime minister/foreign minister of Poland, His Excellency Radosław Sikorski, [had] arrived in Islamabad today for a two-day official visit”.
The FO added that Sikorski was received by the additional secretary for Europe, the Polish ambassador and other senior officials.
Later, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar received Sikorski at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“The two leaders held a tête-à-tête meeting and exchanged views on matters of mutual interest,” the FO said.
A day earlier, the FO had stated that the Polish minister would be paying an official visit to Islamabad at Dar’s invitation.
“This will be minister Sikorski’s second official visit to Pakistan; his previous visit took place in 2011,” the statement said. During the visit, Dar and Sikorski will hold a one-on-one meeting as well as delegation-level talks.
“The two sides are expected to discuss the full spectrum of bilateral relations,” the FO said, adding that the talks would be followed by a joint press stakeout.
The FO said that Sikorski’s visit marked a “significant milestone in Pakistan-Poland relations” and reaffirmed Islamabad’s commitment to enhancing cooperation with Warsaw “for the mutual benefit of both countries”.
In July, Pakistan and Poland had agreed to enhance collaboration via high-level visits, parliamentary interactions and dialogue, during the 9th round of Bilateral Political Consultations between the two countries held in Warsaw.
At these consultations, regional and global issues of mutual interest were also discussed, including developments in South Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. It was mutually agreed that the next round of consultations would be held in Islamabad in 2026.
