The UK will offer Pakistan a package worth nearly £1m to support essential counter-explosive equipment previously gifted to the country.
In May, the UK finished providing a three-year counter-IED (C-IED) programme to help Pakistan develop an ability to tackle IEDs.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon visited Pakistan:
“I’m pleased that we are able to offer this support package as our counter-IED work is part of our close partnership with Pakistan and our shared determination to fight terrorism.
By working together, we will make our streets safer at home in the UK and in Pakistan. Pakistan has a rapidly expanding C-IED capability, with over 5,000 of its security forces trained, and more of these IEDs are being defeated across the provinces and lives are being saved. Pakistani battalions, who have benefited from UK support, have been operating for more than a year as part of the military’s counter terrorism operations.”
Pakistan has previously sought the UK’s assistance in developing the capabilities of its security forces to tackle this threat. The package is expected to be gifted later this year.
And surely this will boast their foreign relationship even more.