Celina Ali
Islamabad: British High Commissioner Jane Marriott this week reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s commitment to supporting Pakistan’s economic reform programme, as London and Islamabad agreed to deepen cooperation across investment, economic governance, public finance, health and sustainable development in a fresh push to strengthen their longstanding bilateral partnership.
The commitment came during a meeting between Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and High Commissioner Marriott in Islamabad, where both sides agreed to maintain close coordination on issues of mutual interest while expanding economic engagement between the two countries.
Marriott welcomed Pakistan’s recent progress in restoring macroeconomic stability and reiterated Britain’s continued backing for the government’s reform agenda, signalling London’s confidence in Islamabad’s efforts to stabilize the economy and create a more attractive environment for international investment.
Her remarks come at a time when Pakistan is pursuing wide-ranging structural reforms aimed at strengthening fiscal discipline, broadening the tax base, improving governance and encouraging foreign direct investment. The United Kingdom has remained one of Pakistan’s most significant development and economic partners, providing technical expertise and institutional support across several critical sectors.
Finance Minister Aurangzeb emphasized that the government remains committed to further expanding UK-Pakistan economic cooperation through sustained reforms, enhanced investment facilitation and continued engagement with international development partners and investors.
He acknowledged Britain’s longstanding contribution to Pakistan’s economic governance, fiscal reforms, climate resilience, public finance management, healthcare and social development, describing the partnership as an important pillar supporting the country’s long-term economic transformation.
The minister also praised the United Kingdom’s continued technical assistance in population management and public health, highlighting these sectors as essential components of Pakistan’s broader development strategy.
Aurangzeb stressed the need to institutionalize population planning through a coordinated national framework with measurable outcomes, while incorporating international best practices to promote women’s education, greater workforce participation and improved public awareness.
He said sustained cooperation in these areas would strengthen Pakistan’s human development indicators and contribute to more inclusive and sustainable economic growth over the long term.
The discussions reflected the expanding scope of UK-Pakistan cooperation beyond traditional development assistance, with increasing focus on reforms, investment, institutional capacity building and sustainable development. Both sides agreed to continue working closely to advance shared economic priorities and reinforce bilateral ties.
For the United Kingdom, continued engagement with Pakistan aligns with its broader objective of supporting economic resilience, governance reforms and sustainable development in South Asia, while fostering stronger commercial and investment links with one of the region’s largest emerging markets.
The meeting underscored the enduring strategic partnership between London and Islamabad, with Jane Marriott reaffirming Britain’s commitment to remaining a reliable partner as Pakistan advances its economic reform programme and seeks long-term, sustainable growth.
