British envoy celebrates Basant, Pakistani cuisine, cultural ties on Morning with Fiza

Published: 03:29 PM, 6 Feb, 2026
Latest, Lifestyle, Topics, Culture & Heritage
British envoy celebrates Basant, Pakistani cuisine, cultural ties on Morning with Fiza
Caption: Ben Warrington, British High Commissioner Lahore

British High Commissioner Ben Warrington appeared on 24 News’ morning show Morning with Fiza, where he offered an enthusiastic and wide-ranging reflection on Punjabi culture, Lahore’s Basant festivities, deep-rooted UK-Pakistan ties, and his growing fondness for Pakistani cuisine.

During the show, host Fiza Ali asked him, "So how do you see Basant after 19 years, since it's your first time celebrating it in Pakistan?"

Responding with visible excitement, Ben shared his observations of the city’s festive mood, saying, "In the last few weeks, you can sort of really feel the build-up on the streets.

In Lahore, people are genuinely excited. I found it fascinating that those who were slightly older, who have experienced it before, are also reminiscing about their childhood and their favorite memories of that time. So you can really feel it. I'm going to be flying my kite this evening and tomorrow, which is what I'm very excited about...but I'm doing it safely so that we're going to have a good time."

The conversation then turned to cultural diplomacy when Fiza asked, "What is the significance of hosting the Caledonian Ball in Lahore this year?"

Ben explained the historical and symbolic importance behind the event, saying, "So the city of Glasgow in England and the city of Lahore are twin cities, so this is the 20th anniversary year of that relationship, so this is also a celebration about what that relationship or those connections between these two cities are all about. Rescue 1122, which we have here in Lahore, Punjab, was set up with support from the fire services in Glasgow.

"Likewise, the Children's Hospital that we have here in Lahore has a relationship with the Children's Hospital in Glasgow, so they share training and staff visits. We have lots of cultural understanding exchange. We also have a very special type of tartan, so I would wear my kilt, which is a Scottish national dress, but we have a special type of tartan, so a type of design that we call the 'Spirit of Pakistan', to celebrate the links between Pakistan and Scotland.

"Interestingly, this Summer, we have the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where InshAllah, Arshad Nadeem and others will be going for gold medals. So it's very exciting to get to celebrate all of that."

Fiza then broadened the discussion by asking, "So how does the Caledonian Ball fit into the broader UK-Pakistani relationship?"

Responding to this, Ben said, "That's a really good question, and I think it's absolutely integral to it and ultimately, the relationship between two countries does not just exist between capital cities. So it's not in between just Islamabad and London, it's between all parts of Pakistan and all parts of the UK. So it's about celebrating all those ties to go well beyond the diplomatic relationship; culture is what binds us together."

The discussion took a lighter turn when Fiza asked about Ben’s fondness for Pakistani food, saying, "So I've heard you like Pakistani spicy food?" Ben replied candidly, "Yes, I probably like Pakistani desi food too much. I have to start getting new shirts and new suits (pointing to his stomach).

"Obviously, in the UK, we have desi food as well, so it's not new, so I was well prepared by what we ate back home. Since I have arrived here, 'palak' is my new favourite, so anything Palak-related, I can eat all day, every day. But in the UK, we have a dish called 'Chicken Tikka Masala', which is sort of a hybrid of desi food with a sort of a British twist - it's one of the favourite dishes across the UK."

Fiza playfully tested his culinary expertise, saying, "I'm betting the food names I'm going to take, you wouldn't have tried them before." She mentioned "Dhaniya Gosht", to which Ben replied "Yes", prompting her joyful reaction.

When asked about Hareesa, he confirmed he had tried it and added, "After Ramazan and Eid, I want to start learning how to cook some of these dishes myself."

The exchange then moved into a humorous language segment. Fiza asked, "Ben, can you talk in Urdu or not?"

Ben replied, "Meri Urdu zara kamzor hai." Both laughed, after which Ben added, "I am trying to learn slowly but surely. Maybe I will learn and come back on the show and speak more Urdu."

Fiza teased him by saying, "I will speak some word or sentence in Urdu, and we will see if you can judge or not."

Ben responded, "Let's keep embarrassing."

Fiza then asked, "Main Pakistan se pyar krti hun."

Ben hesitated and said he was not going to repeat it to avoid embarrassing himself.

Fiza tried again, saying, "Mujhe Pakistan se pyaar hai, mohabbat hai."

Ben replied, "You may answer this yourself; after I learn Urdu, I will come back and answer it."

Fiza clarified, "I said I love Pakistan."

Ben responded warmly, "I do love Pakistan, I do love Lahore, this is why I need to learn Urdu and Punjabi."

As the show wrapped up, Fiza wished him, "Basant Mubarak", to which Ben replied "Happy Basant".

She then said, "Tum bohot khoobsurat ho." Ben translated with a smile, "You are...very beautiful."

When asked to share more about Basant, Ben said, "Yeah, people are telling me about pecha and two kites battling with each other."

He added that he planned to visit the Walled City, saying that he would be practicing and learning rather than flying a kite himself, describing himself humorously as "a very small child" who was still learning about this new technique.

The appearance highlighted not only Ben Warrington’s personal enthusiasm for Lahore’s culture and festivals but also underscored the broader cultural, historical, and people-to-people connections between Pakistan and the United Kingdom.

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