ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his British counterpart David Lammy on Sunday agreed to enhance cooperation in multilateral fora, particularly the UN Security Council, state-run media reported. 

Pakistan and the UK enjoy cordial relations. These ties have translated into the two nations harboring cooperation in military, economic, and educational sectors, with the latter hosting a large Pakistani diaspora. 

The conversation between the two diplomats follows Lammy’s first official visit to Pakistan last month, where he met the country’s top officials following Pakistan’s dangerous military standoff with nuclear-armed rival India. 

“They exchanged views on further enhancing bilateral cooperation in multilateral fora, particularly at the UN Security Council,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported. 

The state media said both leaders agreed to maintain contact. They also agreed to meet on the sidelines of the high-level events scheduled to be held later this month at the United Nations, New York, the state broadcaster said. 

The UK is one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council along with China, US, Russia and France. 

The Security Council seeks to maintain international peace and security in accordance with the principles of the UN and investigates any dispute or situation which might lead to international friction. 

The UK was one of several countries actively engaged in restoring calm between India and Pakistan after the two neighbors were engaged in conflict for four days last month. 

India blamed Pakistan for being involved in an April 22 attack on a tourist resort in the part of Kashmir administered by Delhi. Islamabad denied involvement and called for an international probe into the incident. 

After India struck multiple Pakistani sites on May 6 with missiles, describing them as “terrorist camps,” the two sides traded missiles, artillery and drone strikes for four days before Washington brokered a ceasefire between the two on May 10. 

Tensions between both nations continue to persist, with Pakistan warning it would respond to any further violations of its sovereignty by India. 

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani delegation led by former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is scheduled to meet leaders representing the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in New York from June 2-3, state-run media reported on Sunday, in Islamabad’s latest diplomatic push following its conflict with India last month.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced in May that a Pakistani delegation would present Islamabad’s position and advocate for the country in world capitals following its recent military conflict with India. 

Tensions between nuclear-armed neighbors Pakistan and India are high after they agreed to a ceasefire on May 10 following the most intense military confrontation in decades. Both countries accuse the other of supporting militancy on each other’s soil — a charge both capitals deny.

The nine-member parliamentary delegation led by Bhutto Zardari will present Pakistan’s perspective on the recent military clash with India and “counter New Delhi’s disinformation campaign about the conflict,” the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said. 

“During their stay in New York, the delegation members will have several meetings, including with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, President of the UN General Assembly, as well as the Ambassadors of Permanent & non-permanent members of the UN Security Council,” APP said.

“Besides these meetings, the delegation will also brief OIC members at the United Nations.”

The latest military escalation, in which the two countries traded missiles, drone attacks and artillery fire, was sparked after India accused Pakistan of supporting militants who attacked dozens of tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22, killing 26. Islamabad denies involvement.

Tensions persist between India and Pakistan as after the April tourist attack, Delhi “put in abeyance” its participation in the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960. The treaty governs the usage of the Indus river system. The accord has not been revived despite the rivals agreeing on a ceasefire last week following the conflict.

Islamabad said after India suspended the treaty that it considered “any attempt to stop or divert the flow of water belonging to Pakistan” to be an ‘act of war.’

About 80 percent of Pakistani farms depend on the Indus system, as do nearly all hydropower projects serving the country of some 250 million.

In a media interaction last month, Bhutto Zardari said his team had received a briefing from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the recent standoff with India and ceasefire brokered by the US, as well as on contention issues like the Kashmir dispute, terrorism, and India’s unilateral move to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty.