Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday said Pakistan and the United Kingdom share a friendship that deserves an equally ambitious economic partnership, asxthe bilateral ties between the two friendly nations are anchored in shared history, trade and peace.
The prime minister addressed a reception at the British High Commission marking the 78th birthday of King Charles III.
The prime minister said he had adjusted his travel plans to attend the event, citing his long association with the UK and his warm ties with the King. On behalf of the government and people of Pakistan, he extended congratulations to the King, Queen Camilla and the royal family, noting the King’s commitment to public service.
PM Sharif said he had just returned from COP31 in Antalya, where he was reminded that many ideas central to the global climate agenda had been championed by the King decades ago. He added that Pakistan was proud to be a member of the Commonwealth, which the King heads.
The prime minister said bilateral trade had reached approximately £5.5 billion and that both sides should aim higher. With renewed macroeconomic stability, he said, Pakistan offered opportunities in technology, renewable energy, agriculture, minerals and textiles.
He noted that Pakistan International Airlines had resumed direct flights from Islamabad and Lahore to Heathrow since March, restoring a link after six years. He described the 1.7 million British citizens of Pakistani heritage as a bridge between the two countries and the living embodiment of the relationship’s strength.
PM Sharif also said Pakistan was emerging as an important destination for UK transnational education, and recalled the historical and intellectual links of Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Muhammad Iqbal with Britain.
The prime minister said peace was the foundation of prosperity and that dialogue must prevail over confrontation. He said Pakistan had played a constructive role this year in facilitating dialogue between the United States and Iran, including through the Islamabad talks in April, and thanked the UK for its support of Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts.
He recalled visits to Pakistan by Queen Elizabeth II in 1961 and 1997 and by the then Prince of Wales in 2006, saying the people of Pakistan held deep affection for the British royal family.
Opening his remarks with a cricket anecdote, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recalled a Lahore match in which Pakistan chased England’s total of 241, with Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf’s last-wicket partnership turning the game. He said the two countries competed fiercely on the field while their bonds off it remained strong.
The prime minister paid tribute to British High Commissioner Jane Marriott, who is due to leave Pakistan next year, crediting her with promoting economic and diplomatic ties and serving as a strong bridge between London and Islamabad during her four-year tenure. He wished her success in her future career.
In her opening remarks, British High Commissioner, Jane Marriott welcomed the prime minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and other ministers, saying their presence reflected the strength of the UK-Pakistan relationship. She said this was her fourth and last King’s birthday reception as High Commissioner.
She said the UK was Pakistan’s third largest bilateral trading partner, with trade reaching £6 billion over the past year. Around 78 per cent of Pakistan’s exports to the UK are clothing and textiles, she said, including thread used to make Kevlar for protective equipment.
Jane Marriott said the UK had signed its first chevening programme partnership with Allied Bank, and that the British Council administered around one million exams across Pakistan. She noted that a UK-Pakistan West Yorkshire Trade Summit had been held a day earlier, and that a UK-Pakistan Trade Dialogue and the Invest in Pakistan Now Summit were planned for December.
With Pakistan approaching the 80th anniversary of its independence, she said the UK wished to celebrate its relationship with Pakistan’s past, present and, most importantly, its future. The evening’s theme highlighted British and Pakistani creativity in fashion, design, technology, AI and engineering.
Alongside the deputy prime minister and foreign minister, federal ministers Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Attaullah Tarar, Azam Nazeer Tarar, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, State Ministers Talal Chaudhary, Barrister Aqeel Malik and others were also present on the occasion.
