British High Commissioner calls on Nawaz Sharif

British High Commissioner to Pakistan Ambassador Jane Marriott Thursday paid a courtesy call on PML (N)’s Quaid, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in Lahore, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Warmly welcoming the British High Commissioner, the PML(N) Quaid spoke of Pakistan’s historic relations with Great Britain, which have grown into one of Pakistan’s most important trade, economic and investment ties.

The former Prime Minister also recalled his warm and cordial relations with many British leaders, going back to Prime Minister John Major, with whom he had the pleasure of playing cricket on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Summit, in Harare in October 1991.

Nawaz Sharif also requested BHC to convey his facilitations on the Birthday of King Charles III

Nawaz Sharif also spoke of his pleasure at the return of former Prime Minister David Cameron to the Foreign Office, recalling that he had great respect for the former Prime Minister, who had been the first foreign leader to visit him, only weeks after he had been sworn into Office in June 2013.

Ambassador Jane Marriott thanked the former Prime Minister for the many initiatives he had taken over the past years, to enhance relations between the two countries, especially in areas related to health, education and governance.

She expressed great pleasure at having been appointed as British Ambassador to Pakistan, reiterating that it had always been her desire to experience at firsthand, the rich culture and fascinating history of this country.

Pointing out that the U.K was Pakistan’s largest trade and investment partner in Europe, the former Prime Minister expressed concern that there has been a declining trend in recent years in Britain’s Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) for Pakistan.

He urged the British Government to raise the level of its Developmental Assistance and also expand DFID’s cooperation with concerned governmental and nongovernmental partners in Pakistan. He expressed the hope that with the Ambassador’s efforts, the British assistance Programme would be enhanced, at an early date. 

He urged the British Government to play a positive and meaningful role in ensuring an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, pointing out that thousands of Palestinians, including, women, children and old people, had been killed on account of Israel’s indiscriminate, round-the-clock ground and air attacks on Palestinians homes, schools and hospitals.