Chief Minister of Punjab Shehbaz Sharif pictured with UK Home Secretary Amber Rudd during a meeting held in London here on March 22, 2018. Photo: Geo News 

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LONDON: UK Home Secretary Amber Rudd appreciated and acknowledged Pakistan's efforts and sacrifices in the war against terrorism in a meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday, said a press release issued by the chief minister office.

During the meeting, matters of mutual interest, including the security situation, health reforms and joint initiatives on education in Punjab, were discussed.

The home secretary said that Pakistan played a praiseworthy role in the war on terror, adding that reform programmes in Punjab are being brilliantly executed under Shehbaz's leadership, evident by positive results in the education and health sectors.

The chief minister on the occasion noted the strong basis of bilateral ties between the UK and Pakistan and appreciated the British government?s role in the development of Pakistan's education and health sector.

Shehbaz said that the joint efforts of the Punjab government and Department for International Development (DFID) on Punjab?s educational reforms programme have yielded positive results. 

The Punjab CM also noted that the counterterrorism department?s performance in Punjab had produced substantive results.

During the meeting with Rudd, Shehbaz said that terror incidents and the general crime rate had dipped down after the formation of the safe city authority.