By Mashal Khan

ISLAMABD — Pakistan and Poland on Thursday reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations and expanding cooperation across diverse sectors, including trade, energy, technology, and regional stability.

The understanding came during a joint press conference in Islamabad following a meeting between Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, and Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, who is on an official visit to Pakistan.

Deputy Prime Minister Dar announced that both sides signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at institutionalizing their partnership — one to establish regular bilateral consultations between the two foreign ministries, and another to foster cooperation between the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) and the Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM).

Dar said the visit marks a “significant milestone” in Pakistan–Poland relations, expressing optimism that the two countries would transform their engagement into a “comprehensive and mutually beneficial partnership.”

“We have just signed today a memorandum of understanding which envisions regular bilateral consultations,” Dar said. “At the talks, we also exchanged views on major regional and global issues, including the security situation in South Asia, Afghanistan, Europe, and the Middle East.”

He said Pakistan had apprised the Polish side of its concerns regarding unprovoked Indian aggression and reiterated Pakistan’s principled position on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, calling for its resolution in line with the UN Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.

Dar also expressed concern over Taliban excesses and the presence of terrorist elements on Afghan soil attacking Pakistan. “The presence of fitna al-Khawaraj and fitna al-Hindustan elements in Afghanistan and their continued attacks against Pakistan remain our top concern,” he added.

The Pakistani foreign minister underscored the importance of multilateralism, stressing that international institutions must undergo reforms to become more effective and credible. “We emphasized the need for strengthening multilateralism and consistent adherence to the UN Charter to address existing and emerging challenges,” Dar said.

Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski, in his remarks, offered deeper bilateral collaboration in trade, public finance, fintech, water management, mining, and the energy sector, citing the successful engagement of Polish oil and gas companies already operating in Pakistan.

“This, I believe, has a huge potential for the future,” Sikorski noted, highlighting Poland’s interest in expanding its economic footprint in South Asia.

He also discussed migration issues, clarifying that Poland remains open to legal migration and genuine students, but has “zero tolerance for illegal migration.” Sikorski warned against attempting to cross Polish borders illegally, noting that “our borders are now among the best protected in the EU — and with winter coming, trying to cross is simply too dangerous.”

Touching upon global issues, Sikorski reaffirmed Poland’s steadfast support for Ukraine amid Russian aggression and said peace must be based on the UN Charter and international law. He also reiterated Poland’s long-standing recognition of Palestine and called for a two-state solution for lasting peace in the Middle East.

On Gaza, Sikorski welcomed the recent release of hostages and prisoners by Hamas and Israel, emphasizing the need for an international effort to help rebuild the war-torn enclave. “Gaza needs a structure of governance and the help of the international community in securing basic security so that reconstruction can begin,” he said.

Sikorski also praised Pakistan’s role in regional peace initiatives, noting that both countries share a “common perspective on sovereignty and territorial integrity.” He added, “Poland and Pakistan have a tradition of working side by side in UN peace missions — and I believe we will continue to stand together in future peace efforts.”

Both sides agreed to maintain high-level political engagement and explore new areas of cooperation to strengthen ties in the years ahead.