British high commissioner meets Nawaz in Lahore

LAHORE: Ambassador Jane Marriott, British High Commissioner to Pakistan, paid a courtesy call on PMLN Quaid, Nawaz Sharif, here on Thursday.

During the meeting, PMLN Quaid spoke of Pakistan’s historic relations with Great Britain. PMLN Chief Organizer Maryam Nawaz was also present.

The former prime minister also recalled his warm and cordial relations with many British leaders, going back to former prime minister John Major, with whom he had the pleasure of playing cricket in Harare in 1991.

Nawaz also requested Ms Marriott to convey his felicitations on the birthday of King Charles III and also spoke of his pleasure at the return of former prime minister David Cameron to the Foreign Office.

Ambassador Jane Marriott thanked the former prime minister for the initiatives taken in the past to enhance relations between the two countries. She expressed great pleasure at having been appointed as British ambassador to Pakistan, reiterating that it had always been her desire to experience firsthand, the rich culture and fascinating history of the country.

Pointing out the UK 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 UK to raise the level of its Developmental Assistance and expand DFID’s cooperation with concerned governmental and nongovernmental partners in Pakistan.

Nawaz urged the British government to play a 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 attacks on Palestinians.