- DPM Dar holds one-on-one meeting with Polish counterpart.
- Dar, Sikorski’s talks followed by joint press stakeout.
- This is Radoslaw Sikorski’s second visit since 2011.
Poland Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski arrived in Pakistan on Thursday on a two-day official visit from October 23 to 24.
The Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement that Sikorski was received by Poland’s ambassador and other senior officials.
According to FO, Sikorski is visiting Pakistan at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister Senator Ishaq Dar. This marks Sikorski’s second visit to Pakistan, as his previous visit took place in 2011.
DPM Dar held a one-on-one meeting as well as delegation-level talks with his Polish counterpart. The two sides are expected to discuss the full spectrum of bilateral relations, and the talks followed by a joint press stakeout.
DPM Dar said that Pakistan highly appreciates its “historically warm and friendly” relationship with Poland, hoping that the bilateral relations would keep progressing positively in the future.
He said that bilateral relations between Pakistan and Poland are based on mutual respect, goodwill, and amity since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1962.
Referring to the “unique historic” connections between the two countries, the deputy prime minister recalled that during World War II, the Polish refugees had taken shelter in Karachi and Quetta cities of today’s Pakistan.
“The Polish air force veterans also played an invaluable role in laying the foundation of Pakistan Air Force for which the country continued to remember them as ‘national heroes,” DPM Dar added.
He said that Pakistan took inspiration from Poland’s long struggle for freedom and sovereignty and that modern-day Europe owed a lot to the founder of the Second Polish Republic.
“Poland’s transition from 1991 to now, becoming a trillion-dollar economy, is truly impressive,” the deputy prime minister said. DPM Dar also congratulated his Polish counterpart on the successful and smooth presidential elections held recently.
Dar said that he looks forward to Sikorski’s further visits to Pakistan with reduced gaps.
In his remarks, Radoslaw Sikorski termed the visit “sentimental as well as official.” He said that relations between Pakistan and Poland are good, as both countries have things to “offer” to each other besides discussing the regional and international matters
The FO in an earlier statement said, “the Polish high-up’s visit “marks a significant milestone in Pakistan–Poland relations […] Pakistan remains committed to enhancing cooperation with Poland for the mutual benefit of both countries.”
According to the FO, ties between the two countries have expanded across political, economic, defence, and educational spheres, marked by mutual cordiality and cooperation.
The volume of bilateral trade between Pakistan and Poland in 2023 was $922 million. Pakistan’s exports to Poland amounted to $794 million and imports from Poland were worth $128 million, according to the statistics,
Earlier in July, Pakistan and Poland held the 9th Round of Bilateral Political Consultations (BPC) in Warsaw. The two sides reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral relations.
During the meeting, both sides agreed to enhance collaboration, including through the exchange of high-level visits, parliamentary exchanges and dialogue.
