ISLAMABAD, OCT 07 (DNA) – Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood has underscored Pakistan s desire to further expand the existing collaboration with the European Union in trade, investment, education, science and technology, people-to-people contacts, human rights and development cooperation.

He was speaking virtually at the sixth round of Pakistan-European Union Political Dialogue. Deputy Secretary General of European External Action Service Enrique Mora led the EU delegation.

The Foreign Secretary highlighted Pakistan s contributions to counter-terrorism and addressing illegal migration and called for opening new channels of legal migration. He acknowledged the importance of the mutually-beneficial GSP Plus status granted by the European Union to Pakistan.

The Foreign Secretary apprised his counterpart of the dire human rights and humanitarian situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, illegal measures to change the demographic structure of the occupied territory, and the threat to peace and security posed by India s actions.

He underscored the importance of the international community taking steps to address the violations of human rights in IIOJK and facilitation of a peaceful solution in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions and wishes of the Kashmiri people. = DNA

===========================