ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday said Pakistan sees significant untapped opportunities for cooperation with the European Union as he welcomed the bloc’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, to Islamabad.
Kallas, who also serves as vice-president of the European Commission and the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, is visiting Pakistan at Dar’s invitation. During the visit, the two leaders are co-chairing the 8th EU-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue, which Pakistan’s Foreign Office describes as the highest-level forum for structured engagement between the two sides.
Addressing a joint press conference, Dar highlighted the strong foundations of Pakistan-EU relations, saying the partnership had a rich history and considerable room for expansion. He noted that both sides could further enhance cooperation in several sectors, particularly trade, while also exploring collaboration in many other areas of mutual interest.
According to the Foreign Office, the two leaders reviewed the positive trajectory of bilateral ties and agreed to continue strengthening their mutually beneficial partnership. They also exchanged views on major regional and international developments ahead of the formal strategic dialogue session.
Dar underscored the importance of maintaining regular strategic engagements between Pakistan and the EU, expressing satisfaction that only six months had passed since the previous dialogue. He said such interactions were essential for sustaining momentum in bilateral relations.
The foreign minister praised the EU leadership for its continued engagement with Pakistan and acknowledged Kallas’s personal involvement in maintaining communication on key international issues. He revealed that the two had remained in contact during last year’s Pakistan-India conflict as well as the ongoing war involving the United States and Iran.
Describing the ongoing exchanges as constructive and valuable, Dar thanked Kallas for her cooperation and support, adding that frequent communication between the two sides was helping strengthen mutual understanding.
The deputy prime minister also expressed hope that Ursula von der Leyen would visit Pakistan in the future, noting that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had already extended a standing invitation to the European Commission president.
Earlier in the day, state-run PTV broadcast footage of Kallas being received at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by Dar, where she also met senior officials before beginning her official engagements.
The Foreign Office said Kallas’s visit reflected growing momentum in high-level political exchanges between Pakistan and the European Union. It added that both sides remained committed to further strengthening their multifaceted partnership across a range of sectors.
In a statement, the Foreign Office said Pakistan deeply values its longstanding and multidimensional relationship with the EU, which is built on shared values, strong economic cooperation and a common commitment to multilateralism.
During her visit, Kallas is scheduled to meet Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Asim Munir. The Foreign Office confirmed that she would hold discussions with Pakistan’s senior leadership, including the president and prime minister.
The European Union remains Pakistan’s second-largest trading partner. A major component of the relationship is Pakistan’s access to the GSP+ scheme, which grants duty-free or preferential access for many Pakistani exports to European markets.
Pakistan obtained GSP+ status in 2014, and in October 2023 the European Parliament unanimously approved an extension of the programme until 2027 for eligible developing countries, including Pakistan.
The EU describes GSP+ as a special incentive arrangement designed to encourage sustainable development and good governance. In return, beneficiary countries receive zero-duty access on approximately two-thirds of tariff lines for exports entering the European market.
Countries participating in the scheme are required to effectively implement 27 international conventions covering human rights, labour standards, environmental protection and principles of good governance.
Despite Pakistan’s continued eligibility under the programme, Raimundas Karoblis said last November that the country needed to make greater efforts to fulfil its obligations. He specifically pointed to concerns relating to blasphemy laws, enforced disappearances and the protection of minority rights.
In December 2025, the European Union acknowledged steps taken by Pakistan towards implementing international conventions under the GSP+ framework. However, the bloc also reiterated the need for additional reforms over the medium and long term to ensure full compliance with the scheme’s requirements.