Pakistan and the European Union have agreed to further strengthen their partnership after holding the 8th Pakistan-EU Strategic Dialogue in Islamabad.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar welcomed the European Union delegation and expressed Pakistan’s determination to further deepen ties with the EU.
According to the Foreign Office spokesperson, EU High Representative Kaja Kallas met Ishaq Dar before the formal Strategic Dialogue. Both sides expressed satisfaction over Pakistan-EU relations and agreed to further strengthen their mutually beneficial partnership.
Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 welcomed EU HR/VP Ms. Kaja Kallas @kajakallas, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today.
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) June 1, 2026
The two leaders will co-chair the 8th Pakistan-EU Strategic Dialogue, reflecting the shared commitment to… pic.twitter.com/pPJpZd64we
The meeting also covered regional and global developments. Dar said Pakistan remained in close contact with the EU during major global and regional challenges, especially the Pakistan-India war and the US-Iran conflict.
He said the continued engagement of the EU leadership and the High Representative with Pakistan was valuable.
Strategic vision to guide long-term partnership
Dar said Pakistan attaches great importance to relations with the European Union. He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s ties with European leadership are important for strengthening bilateral relations.
The deputy prime minister said the Pakistan-EU Strategic Vision could give a new direction to the long-term partnership.
Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 met with the EU HR/VP Ms. Kaja Kallas @kajakallas, today in Islamabad.
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) June 1, 2026
During the meeting, both sides acknowledged the positive trajectory of Pakistan-EU ties and agreed to further strengthen the… pic.twitter.com/xJAVuE3MG0
Dar said there are vast opportunities for cooperation between Pakistan and the EU in trade and other sectors. He said the European Union is one of Pakistan’s major trading partners, with bilateral trade volume standing at around 12 billion euros annually.
During the talks, both sides focused on further promoting bilateral trade and investment.
EU praises Pakistan’s regional role
Kaja Kallas said she was pleased to visit Pakistan and described the country as a regional power. She said Pakistan and the European Union have good relations and share priority goals for regional and global stability.
Kallas also said Pakistan’s role in mediating the US-Iran talks was highly commendable.
US-Iran conflict and ceasefire
The EU representative said the whole world is facing a severe energy crisis due to the US-Iran conflict. She said a permanent ceasefire and continued negotiations are indispensable in the current global situation.
According to officials, the EU appreciated Pakistan’s mediation efforts during the US-Iran conflict.
Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 and EU HR/VP Ms. Kaja Kallas @kajakallas co-chaired the 8th Pakistan-EU Strategic Dialogue in Islamabad today.
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) June 1, 2026
The two sides held comprehensive discussions on Pakistan-EU relations including trade and… pic.twitter.com/iaBaG3QJbb
Dar said Pakistan remained in constant contact with the European Union during Iran-US tensions. He said the EU has always supported peace and diplomacy. Both sides also discussed several important global issues during the dialogue.
The deputy prime minister said the Kashmir issue should be resolved in accordance with United Nations resolutions. Regional security, global stability and ongoing conflicts were also discussed in detail during the talks.
Security and terrorism concerns
Dar said security and terrorism-related issues were part of the discussions. He expressed concern over continuous attacks on Pakistan by Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan from Afghan soil.
Kaja Kallas said Pakistan has the full right to defend itself against terrorism from Afghanistan.
The Foreign Office said both sides held a comprehensive discussion on Pakistan-EU relations. The talks covered trade and investment, security cooperation, environmental measures, migration and multilateral cooperation.
They also discussed cooperation in human rights, counter-terrorism, digital infrastructure, clean energy, environmental resilience, migration and mobility.
EU links GSP Plus to human rights progress
Kaja Kallas said the EU wants practical progress from Pakistan in human rights and labour protection under the GSP Plus framework.
She said Pakistan-EU cooperation is expanding beyond trade into climate resilience, digital infrastructure, clean energy, migration and mobility. She added that people-to-people contacts between Pakistan and the European Union have increased.
Kallas said Pakistan also seeks EU scholarships. She highlighted the importance of expanding opportunities for people-to-people engagement and educational cooperation.
Officials said the dialogue emphasized promoting common interests and finding new avenues for cooperation.
Partnership seen as economic opportunity
Kallas said the Pakistan-EU partnership is a guarantee of significant economic development in terms of trade. She said there are vast trade opportunities between Pakistan and the European Union.
Both sides agreed that relations should be made stronger and more future-oriented by 2026.
According to the Foreign Office spokesperson, the eighth meeting of the Pakistan-EU Strategic Dialogue was held in Islamabad. The meeting was co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and EU High Representative Kaja Kallas.
Both sides reiterated their shared commitment to further enhance ties and expand the partnership on the basis of mutual interests.
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