Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari received Tomasz Siemoniak, Poland’s minister, member of the Council of Ministers and special services coordinator, at Aiwan-e-Sadr in Islamabad on 6 October.
Zardari said Pakistan valued its friendly relations with Poland, based on mutual respect, and hoped the visit would help develop them into a broad partnership benefiting both countries and their peoples.
He thanked Poland for recognising Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts during the recent US-Iran crisis and said dialogue was important to resolving disputes and supporting regional and global peace and stability.
Zardari also welcomed Poland’s support for Pakistan under the EU’s GSP Plus scheme. He called for stronger business ties and more frequent exchanges between people and leaders, and said the countries should reinforce coordination at regional and multilateral forums.
Siemoniak praised Pakistan’s role in promoting regional peace and stability and said Poland wanted to deepen political, economic and people-to-people ties. He noted the countries’ traditional defence links, including the contribution of Polish Air Force pilots and technicians.
He said Poland was exploring cooperation in security, immigration and counterterrorism, and wanted to expand defence and economic ties. The meeting was also told that a street in Islamabad was being named after Air Commodore Władysław Józef Marian Turowicz.
Turowicz served with the Polish Air Force and later the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. He came to Pakistan in 1948 at the invitation of its authorities, alongside around 30 Polish pilots, engineers and technicians, and contributed to the development of the Pakistan Air Force.
Polish Ambassador to Pakistan Maciej Pisarski and other members of the Polish delegation attended. Pakistan was represented by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, senators Sherry Rehman and Saleem Mandviwalla, and former federal minister Naveed Qamar.
