The British High Commission in Islamabad reported on 6 October 2026 that Stephen Doughty, UK Minister of State for the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan, had concluded his first visit to Pakistan in the role. The report said he met political, military and civil society leaders, with talks covering growth and trade, regional security, stability in Afghanistan, counter-terrorism and migration.

According to the High Commission, the minister met Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Law, Justice and Human Rights Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar. He also met politicians from across Pakistan's political spectrum and civil society members.

On education, the report said the minister joined Pakistani and British university leaders and the Higher Education Commission to discuss transnational education. It stated that more than 15,000 Pakistani students studied for UK qualifications in Pakistan through transnational education in 2024-25, up 83% over the past decade, and that UK institutions account for around 65% of Pakistan's transnational education market. The High Commission said the British Council planned to bring a UK university delegation to Pakistan in March 2027, with an ambition of more than 100 British universities in partnership by the end of the decade. The report also cited around 1.7 million people of Pakistani heritage in the UK and annual trade worth around £5.5 billion.