ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime 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.
Dar also announced that the foreign ministries of the two countries had signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) that envisioned regular bilateral consultations, which he said aimed at further enhancing cooperation between the two sides.
Moreover, he said an MoU had also been signed on cooperation between the Institute of Strategic Studies in Islamabad and the Polish Institute of International Affairs.
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.
“We rejoice the economic progress Poland has made to now become a trillion-dollar economy,” he said, further congratulating the European country on the “successful and smooth presidential election and for its it able stewardship of the European Union”.
FM Dar further said that during the talks today, the two sides had exchanged views on major regional and global issues, including the security situation in South Asia, Afghanistan, Europe and the Middle East.
“I apprised the foreign minister of our concerns regarding unprovoked Indian aggression and Pakistan’s principled position on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, advocating for the resolution according to the wishes of the Kashmiri people and in line with UN Security Council resolutions.
“We also discussed the recent excess of the Taliban regime. Presence of Fitna-al-Khawarij and Fitna-al-Hindustan elements on Afghan soil and their continued attacks against Pakistan remain our top concerns.”
Fitna-al-Khawarij and Fitna-al-Hindustan are terms designated by the state for the banned terrorist outfit Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and terrorist organisations in Balochistan, respectively.
Dar said he had emphasised the need for “strengthening multilateralism and consistent adherence to the fundamental principles of the UN Charter to address the existing and emerging international challenges in an effective and credible manner”.
Concluding his speech, he said Sikorski’s visit to Pakistan was a “significant milestone” in relations between the two countries, saying, “Today, we reaffirm our resolve to transform these relations into a comprehensive and mutually beneficial partnership.”
After Dar, the Polish foreign minister began his speech by thanking Dar for “reminding us of the shared historical legacy” between the two countries.
He confirmed that the two sides had agreed to renew the MoU between their foreign ministries to “facilitate better coordination”. He also welcomed the signing of an MoU between think tanks in the two countries.
Moving on to talks between the two sides, he said, “We have covered a broad range of issues, from bilateral economic ties […] to regional issues and global governance.
“During the talks with Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, I presented a […] offer of more intense bilateral collaborations in the fields of trade, public finances, fintech and water management. We also discussed further collaboration in the mining and the energy sector, building on the success of such engagements as the Polish Oil and Gas Company exploring natural in Pakistan. This, I believe, has huge potential for the future.”
Sikorski further said that the Pakistani diaspora in Poland had been growing over the past few years.
“It is still quite small, around 2,000 people, but I am glad to say a quarter of them are students. We are happy that Polish universities are popular among young, talented people from Pakistan, and we hope that their experience and impressions that they gather in Poland serve as a basis for actual people-to-people diplomacy.
“So Poland remains open to legal migration, and for real studies for real students. But I want to emphasise that there is zero tolerance for illegal migration to Polish territory, which is simultaneously the EU territory.”
He said for several years, Poland’s neighbours, Russia and Belarus “have been trying to help people smugglers breach our border, exploiting people, exploiting tragic situations and using them as a tool of hybrid warfare and putting them under unnecessary risk. And Poland had to respond. Polish border are now some of the best protected borders of the EU”.
He also said Poland and Pakistan shared a “common perspective on sovereignty and territorial integrity of states. This principle holds particular significance in our region in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“Recent Russian violations of the Polish airspace — and you know a thing or two about that around here — is an outrageous and unprecedented miliatry provocation. It is new stage of Russian attempts to destabilise the situation in our part of Europe,” he said.
The foreign minister added that “Poland remains steadfast in its support of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine, and welcomes all efforts towards achieving such a peace. It should be based on the UN Charter and international law”.
On Gaza, he said “we root for peace” there. “Poland has recognised Palestine for decades, and we believe there should be a two-state solution for the two ancient peoples of the Middle East to live in dignity and peace with each other”.
Concluding his speech, FM Sikorski underlined that Poland was also interested in a “stable and prosperous South Asia”.
“We welcome all the efforts of Pakistan, both regional and globally, that help to achieve this aim.”
