Australia–Pakistan relations

Australia–Pakistan relations

Pakistan
Australia
Monthly value of Australian merchandise exports to Pakistan (A$ millions) since 1988
Monthly value of Pakistani merchandise exports to Australia (A$ millions) since 1988

Australia–Pakistan relations refers to the bilateral relations between Australia and Pakistan. The relations between the two countries have been friendly, with former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf having visited Australia in 2005[1] and the former Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard, also having extended a visit to Pakistan in 2005 as well, following the 2005 Kashmir earthquake which had immensely targeted the northern areas of Pakistan. He also announced 500 new scholarships for students in Pakistan to study in Australia.[2]

According to a 2013 BBC World Service Poll, 10% of Australians view Pakistani influence positively, with 79% expressing a negative view.[3]

Trade Ties

Pakistan’s exports to Australia touched its peak in 2011 by reaching USD 167 million while imports in the same period reached USD 437 million, Both countries vows to take the bilateral trade to USD 1 billion with some concerted efforts at public and private levels.[4]

Counter terrorism Pact

During Musharraf's visit in 2005, the two nations signed a counter-terrorism pact which was an agreement between Pakistan and Australia in encountering terrorism, which remains a wide-scale global problem, and the memorandum also further allowed joint training exercises between the Pakistani and Australian security forces as well as the sharing of sensitive intelligence.

Australia-Pakistan Development Partnership Program

The two countries in the past have collaborated in talks and actions on joint ventures relating to agriculture, dairy, livestock and mining. Australia provides scholarships to Pakistani students every year to study at Masters Level in Australia. During the past years over 500 scholarships were given to Pakistani students for post graduate studies in Australia.[5]

Pakistani Australians

According to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship of the Government of Australia, the 2011 Australian census states that there are 30,221 Pakistan-born people in Australia, an increase of 77.8 per cent from the 2006 Census. The 2011 distribution by state and territory showed New South Wales had the largest number with 13 382 followed by Victoria (9187), Western Australia (2521) and Queensland (2357). According to the Pakistan Embassy in Canberra, the number of Pakistanis in Australia is closer to 70,000 as the Department of Immigration and Citizenship does not include the children of Pakistanis who are born in Australia.[6] [7]

Military relations

George Timothy, Australian High Commissioner to Pakistan

Both Australia and Pakistan were a part of the South East Asian version of NATO called SEATO also known as a 'mutual defence pact'.[8] T he two countries have been holding bilateral defence and security talks since 2006. The 1.5 Track Security Dialogue was initiated in 2010. The talks involve the two governments, while the 1.5 Track Dialogue involves a number of key decision makers and think tanks from both sides. Defence cooperation has increased considerably as a result of the two mechanisms. The focus of cooperation has been on training programmes.[9]

See also

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Relations of Australia and Pakistan.

References

  1. ↑ Musharraf on key Australia visit – BBC News
  2. ↑ Earthquakes in South Asia – Australian Government
  3. ↑ 2013 World Service Poll BBC
  4. ↑ http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2012/09/01/city/lahore/australia-values-its-relations-with-pakistan-john-hogg/
  5. ↑ http://www.aaj.tv/2012/05/australia-to-provide-pakistan-with-200-million-financial-assistance/
  6. ↑ Department of Immigration and Citizentship, Government of Australia, http://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/02_2014/pakistan.pdf
  7. ↑ High Commission of Pakistan SBS Radio Message (Urdu)
  8. ↑
  9. ↑ http://dawn.com/2012/11/03/pakistan-and-australia-hold-security-dialogue/
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