British Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan Stephen Doughty, MP, called on Federal Minister for Law & Justice and Human Rights Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar. The meeting discussed matters of mutual interest, human rights, protection of women and children, human trafficking, prevention of child marriage, the Indus Waters Treaty and regional peace and security. The British High Commissioner and other members of the delegation also attended.
During the meeting, the Federal Minister specifically raised the issue of India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and highlighted its implications for Pakistan’s agriculture, food security and regional peace and security.
The Federal Minister said Pakistan is an agrarian country and a large proportion of its population is engaged in agriculture, while Punjab serves as the country’s food basket. He underscored that protection of water resources is directly linked to Pakistan’s economy, food security and the well-being of its people.
He said India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty was beyond the mechanism provided under the treaty and stressed that water-related issues should be addressed in accordance with international law and the existing treaty framework.
British Minister of State Stephen Doughty acknowledged the importance of water-related issues and stressed the need for cooperation and engagement. He noted that water and climate change were directly linked to agriculture, human security and efforts to prevent and respond to disasters.
The meeting also discussed measures to address child sexual exploitation, human trafficking and forced marriages, as well as efforts to protect women and children from exploitation.
Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar briefed the British delegation on Pakistan’s legal and administrative measures in this regard, including legislation to prevent child marriage, with the marriageable age fixed at 18 years. He said work was also underway to link the marriage registration system with the national database to strengthen age verification and enable timely action in case of violations.
The Federal Minister also briefed the delegation on measures relating to immigration, airport screening and pre-visa clearance services to strengthen mechanisms for preventing human trafficking and related offences.
He said efforts were underway to centralise and automate access to criminal records and relevant information, enabling more effective and timely information-sharing with relevant countries under mutual arrangements.
Both sides agreed to maintain engagement and cooperation on human rights, protection of women and children, prevention of human trafficking and other matters of mutual interest.
