Let me start by saying that I am honoured and proud to have been appointed as the British High Commissioner to Pakistan. I believe I have got one of the best jobs in the British Diplomatic Service. The country is also close to my heart. I have some very old connections with Pakistan. My grandfather was in the Punjab Rifles in Rawalpindi, Quetta and Karachi in the 1920s and 1930s and my mother lived here during that time. I visited Pakistan for the first time back in 1994. I still remember driving myself to Peshawar and buying a famous Peshawari carpet from the Qissa Khowoni Bazar. The country has changed a lot since then. But returning to Pakistan still feels like coming back home.
It is a country full of colours and vibrant culture, with superb food, handicrafts, music and especially the language. I very much enjoyed my time learning some Urdu back in London. Apart from some tongue twisters, I’m glad that I can now understand why my mother always told me, ‘Chup Ki Jiye,’ when I was a child. I’ve got a lot more to learn, laikin mein mazeed seekhne ki puri koshish ker raha hun. I hope to do so by getting out of Islamabad, getting around all corners of Pakistan, meeting people and exploring the culture and places beyond the big cities.
It is my fourth week in Pakistan. I have already been to two key cities of Pakistan – Karachi and Lahore. In Karachi, I visited the Dolmen Mall and saw the prominence of British High Street stores, like Next and Mothercare. I was impressed by the number of British brands in Karachi and hope to see them expanding throughout Pakistan. Over 100 British companies are already operating in Pakistan and the UK is the second largest foreign investor here.
In Lahore, I particularly enjoyed visiting the remarkable Badshahi Mosque. I can see why Lahoris call it the ‘Jewel of Lahore.’ I met the Grand Imam of the Mosque and representatives of different religions including Christian, Sikh and Hindu leaders. I was impressed by their commitment of promoting interfaith harmony in Pakistan. I last visited Lahore five years ago – it is great to see how the city has developed since 2009.
One thing I’m particularly struck by in Pakistan is the expansion of its media. It has become more vibrant and is increasingly giving voices to people from all sections of society. The proliferation of independent, privately-owned broadcast media outlets was a crucial part of Pakistan’s successful democratic transition in May last year. Some 50 million people in Pakistan went to the ballot box that day. In doing so, they made an important statement about the future they want for their country, a future based on accountable and democratic government. As Prime Minister David Cameron said, Pakistan’s democratic transition has been a golden moment and the beginning of a ‘naya aghaz’ for the longstanding partnership between Pakistan and the UK. I am delighted to have arrived in Pakistan at this momentous time.
پھر ملیں گیں
فیلپ