Cameron's visit to Pakistan

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Prime Minister David Cameron made a landmark visit recently to Pakistan. It has gone a long way in reinforcing and cementing the profound relationship enjoyed by the two countries despite a negative perception created in a section of media. His categorical pronouncement that "Pakistan-UK relationships are unbreakable" not only echoed the true feeling shared by the rationale minds in the two countries-it is rather a manifestation of confidence and trust shared by the two nations. With over a million Diaspora and approximately 1.4 million visits annually by the people on both sides how such a bonding can be ignored.

This visit had its importance in many ways in consolidating Pakistan-UK relationship. It was the first visit of Mr. Cameron to Pakistan after becoming Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. His meetings with President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani further reinvigorated the strong relationship between the two countries.

His meetings with the opposition leaders, chief ministers of the provinces and other coalition partners apart from a close interaction with students added greater strength to the long-standing co-operation between the two countries and its people. Second, Mr. Cameron's visit at a time when the coalition forces have entered a crucial phase in Afghanistan whereby a drawdown would commence from July this year and that withdrawal of the British forces is likely to be completed by 2015-attached more significance to it.

This brought into focus that both Britain and Pakistan have serious stakes in the stability of Afghanistan as they believe in a political solution of the Afghan crisis which for a durable solution should be driven and owned by the Afghans themselves.

Third, the two countries have forged close cooperation in neutralising extremist tendencies in both the countries. This would entail de-radicalisation through education and socio-economic incentives. Certain practical steps would also follow to meet the challenges posed by miscreants in Pakistan, including cooperation in tackling IEDs, training and equipment to deal with miscreants.

More importantly, Prime Minster Cameron and Prime Minister Gilani signed a highly significant Declaration on Pakistan-UK Enhanced Strategic Partnership Dialogue (ESPD) which has set the tone of future relationship of the two countries in a comprehensive manner regarding the security and stability in the region. It is no more fixated to security specific issues, but encompasses all areas of bilateral relationship.

The two sides agreed that the ESPD process will be actively driven forward by the President and Prime Minister of Pakistan and by the Prime Minister of the UK who would meet annually while the Foreign Ministers of the two countries will review the progress in the stipulated fields on bi-annual basis. The Enhanced Strategic Partnership Dialogue (ESPD) will be dealing with five major issues.

Firstly, the outstanding feature of ESPD lays it bare that the two countries have agreed to focus on enhancing trade relationship and raise the present volume of Trade from present £1.20 billion to £2.50 billion by 2015. Prime Minister Cameron also pledged to advocate Pakistan's case for enhanced trade access to the EU markets including GSP Plus.

Second, the two sides have agreed that economic stability and socio-economic development were key priorities to ensure prosperity for future generations. In this regards close interaction between the two governments on economic reforms and enhancing trade and investment opportunities would have positive impact. It was also agreed to encourage the corporate sector of the two countries to enhance their cooperation.

Third, since Pakistan has declared 2011 as the Year of Education, Prime Minister Cameron's announcement of enhancing assistance in education sector up to £650 million to get over four million Pakistani Children into School has been very well received across the country. Enhanced academic links and facilitation of Pakistani students proceeding to UK for higher education are the positives that would go a long way in further cementing the friendly relationship between the two countries.

Fourth, on security, the leadership of the two countries committed to address their shared national security challenges. In this regards the top security apparatus of the two countries met under the leadership of the two prime ministers and took important decisions in combating extremism and terrorism in a comprehensive manner. The two countries recognised the fact that peace in Afghanistan was an imperative for regional and global stability. Therefore, the need for it to be Afghan specific was amply emphasised.

Fifth, it was duly acknowledged that presence of over a million strong Pakistani Diaspora was contributing immensely to strengthening the bilateral relationship. Indeed, contribution of nearly £35 billion to British GDP is quite substantive. The cultural exchanges between the two countries could further cement this relationship.

There have been uncharitable commentaries in a section of the media on Mr. Cameron's announcement of £650 million assistance in education and also his remarks in response to a question on Kashmir. From Pakistan's perspective the British assistance in education sector would provide the necessary catalyst to the government of Pakistan to fill the gaps in universalising quality education at the primary levels so that unscrupulous elements may not pollute the innocent minds to extremism. We also expect quality education to contribute to overall socio-economic turnaround in the country. Needless to say that universalisation of quality education in Pakistan would ultimately benefit the UK for being the popular destination amongst Pakistani students for higher education. Already Pakistani students contribute £250 million annually to the British universities.

Similarly Kashmir is a dispute between Pakistan and India which awaits solution in accordance with the UN resolutions. Mr. Cameron reiterated the fact the Kashmir is a legacy of the unfinished agenda of the sub-continental partition. He further acknowledged the fact that lack of resolution of the Kashmir dispute was a mistake of the UK because of being an erstwhile colonial power.

It is a statement of fact which was earlier recognised by the Labour Party in its annual conference at Brighton in 1995 when it endorsed that the issue was a legacy of the unfinished agenda of the partition and it was both moral and political obligation of the Labour Party to ensure the implementation of the UN resolution for the right of self-determination of the Kashmiri people. Mr Cameron recognised this historic British obligation.

Mr. Cameron's acknowledgement has been an act of statesmanship which would, in the long run, contribute to resolving this long-festering dispute and also contribute to bringing peace and stability in South Asia and avert a nuclear conflict in the region since both the countries have been to three conventional wars on account of it and now are nuclear powers making the region a nuclear flashpoint.

Mr Cameron rightly appreciated the recent Mohali talks between Prime Ministers Yousuf Raza Gilani and Mr Manmohan Singh. The Mohali breakthrough has been acknowledged as the manifestation of the statesmanship of the two leaders who have agreed to push forward negotiation on all issues including the core issue of Kashmir. Therefore any criticism of Prime Minister Cameron on this issue is not only uncalled for but amounts to belying historical facts.

(Wajid Shamsul Hasan is Pakistan's High Commissioner in London)