KUALA LUMPUR:
Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday met with world leaders on the sidelines of the 32nd ASEAN Regional Forum in Kuala Lumpur.
In his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, both the leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening of bilateral relations and agreed to meet again next week during SCO council of Ministers meeting, a DPM’s Office statement said.
Dar also met Australian Foreign Minister Senator Hon Penny Wong. They reiterated strong Pakistan-Australia ties and commitment to enhance cooperation in trade, education, and people-to-people links.
In a “productive and forward-looking engagement,” he said Pakistani diaspora and cricket were a living bridge between the countries. Both sides agreed to boost bilateral trade, currently at $1.186 billion, promote academic partnerships, and increase high-level political exchanges.
Separately, Dar met with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath and reaffirmed the enduring strength of Pakistan-Sri Lanka bilateral relations.
During the meeting, both ministers expressed satisfaction over the robustness of ties between the two countries and pledged to further deepen cooperation in key areas.
The discussions focused on high-level political exchanges, expanding economic partnerships, religious tourism, and educational collaboration, a DPM’s Office statement said.
Dar emphasized the importance of promoting people-to-people contacts and sectoral cooperation, noting that the longstanding relationship between Pakistan and Sri Lanka is rooted in shared regional interests and historical bonds.
The two ministers also held in-depth discussions on regional and global developments, including recent geopolitical shifts in South Asia and beyond. They agreed on the need to strengthen multilateral collaboration and continue supporting peace, stability, and inclusive growth across the region.
