DPM Dar, British foreign secretary discuss Indus Waters Treaty, regional security: FO

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday met British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, with the two discussing developments related to the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) and the regional security situation, the Foreign Office (FO) said.

The IWT has come under strain since India announced in 2025 that it was placing its treaty obligations in abeyance. The announcement followed an attack on tourists in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 tourists — an incident New Delhi blamed on Islamabad without evidence. For its part, Pakistan strongly denied the allegations and called for a neutral investigation.

In a post on X, the FO said DPM Dar, who is in the United Kingdom on a four-day official visit until Aug 28, highlighted India’s “persistent violations of its international obligations” and stressed the importance of upholding international law and treaty commitments during his meeting with the foreign secretary.

The two met in London, where they held delegation-level talks, the FO said.

It added that the two sides reviewed the “full spectrum” of Pakistan-UK bilateral relations.

The two leaders also reached an agreement to establish a “structured mechanism for formal talks between the two foreign ministries to cover all areas of cooperation to further strengthen bilateral ties and regularly review progress in key areas”.

“They underscored the importance of sustained high-level engagement and closer coordination on matters of mutual interest,” the statement added.

It said the two ministers also discussed the situation in the Middle East, with DPM Dar highlighting Pakistan’s diplomatic and mediation efforts in the region and the progress achieved.

Miliband, for his part, lauded Pakistan for its “constructive role and facilitation efforts in promoting dialogue, diplomacy and stability in the Middle East”.

During the meeting, DPM Dar also raised alarm over the “terrorist threats emanating from Afghan soil”, in reference to threats posed by groups operating out of Afghanistan.

“Both sides underscored the importance of sustained engagement in advancing peace, stability and cooperation in the region and beyond,” the FO said.

It added that the two ministers also underscored the importance of the Pakistani diaspora in the UK, with a focus on “further strengthening the longstanding ties and people-to-people links between Pakistan and the UK”.

DPM Dar has held a series of engagements over the past three days, including meeting the head of the International Maritime Organisation, where he had called for “urgent and effective institutional intervention” for the return of 10 Pakistani sailors held captive by Somali pirates.

DPM Dar also interacted with British parliamentarians of Pakistani origin and met the Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwey a day earlier.