ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday praised overseas Pakistanis in the United Kingdom for strengthening bilateral ties as he addressed an event at the British High Commission marking King Charles III’s 77th birthday.
Pakistan, a former British colony that gained independence in 1947, is a member of the Commonwealth and has maintained close links with the UK. The two countries witnessed improved connectivity after Britain lifted its safety ban on Pakistan International Airlines, allowing the carrier’s first flight to Manchester in five years.
The UK also introduced eVisas for students and workers, easing travel, while bilateral trade reached £5.5 billion in 2025, crossing the £5 billion mark for the first time.
British authorities also supported Pakistan’s flood recovery efforts, and the UK-Pakistan Trade Dialogue, a new institutional framework to expand economic cooperation, was launched in July.
“We ... celebrate the enduring friendship between Pakistan and United Kingdom,” the prime minister said, according to state-run Associated Press of Pakistan news agency. “About two million British citizens of Pakistani heritage add great value to this relationship and are playing a very productive role in all walks of life in the United Kingdom.”
