Theresa May enjoys great ties with Pak leaders: UK minister

Lord Tariq says May is a personal friend of Shahbaz Sharif; UK-Pak
relations will strengthen under her; British Pakistanis support her

LONDON: Britain’s prime minister-in-waiting Theresa May enjoys excellent relations with Sharif brothers and she is a great supporter of Pakistan, Minister for Transport and Counter-extremism Lord Tariq Ahmed has said.

In an interview with The News/Jang, Lord Tariq, who has worked closely with Theresa May for three years after being picked by her for the important portfolios, said that its goof for Pakistan that Theresa May is the new leader of Britain as “she has brilliant understanding of Pakistan and cares about the country and its future”.

Lord Tariq revealed that Theresa May personally knows Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif very well. It’s good that she is taking over as the prime minister. It is in the interest of Pakistan because she is someone who has been in close contact with British Pakistani parliamentarians, Pakistani community and leadership.

“She knows Shahbaz Sharif well, she has held many meetings with him on bilateral relations and in particular on strengthening relations on security. She is appreciative of the cooperation she has received over the years from Pakistan. She has developed a personal rapport with Chief Minister Punjab shahbaz sharif,” said the minister.

Lord Tariq said Theresa May knows that Pakistan is a victim of terrorism and has paid a huge price. “She considers Pakistan a friend of Britain and has spoken in favour of Pakistan. Both countries are cooperating with each other at top intelligence level. She already has a good working relationship with Pakistani leadership. She has visited Pakistan many times and her feedback has always been great about the country.”

Lord Tariq said that British Pakistani Conservative politicians Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, Rehman Chishti, Nusrat Ghani and Sajid Javid are supporters of Theresa May and they are all happy that “she is the new leader of our country”.

While working as the Home Secretary, Theresa May has worked closely with Pakistani leaders including Interior Ministers Rehman Malik and Chaudhay Nisar. She has appreciated that under Chaudhary Nisar, cooperation between Pakistan and the Uk in dealing with the issue of narcotics and human smuggling has been very fruitful.

Chaudhary Nisar, during his last meeting with Theresa May, bluntly told her that Pakistan was not happy with the way the Scotland Yard and the Home Office had dealt with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement related cases.

He added: “I have known Theresa May since I was 18 years old. As a minister working at the Home Office I have worked closely with her and in my opinion she is the most deserving person to lead Britain. “Relations between Pakistan and UK will strengthen further under her leadership and I am confident of that.”

Famously, it was former prime minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto who had introduced Theresa may to her husband Philip at a Conservative Association dance party. May, her husband and Benazir Butto were students at the Oxford University and were close friends. Theresa May doesn’t have children and she has said that not to have children is “the hand that life deals you”.

“It just didn’t happen, so you know its one of those things. I am a great believer that you just get on with things. There are lots of problems people have. We are al different, we all have different circusmtances and you have to cope with whatever it is, try not to dwelve on things.”

Prime Minister David Cameron announced on Monday that Theresa May will be the new prime minister of Britain after May beat all her Tory rivals in leadership contest. David Cameron decided to step down after he lost the Remain campaign in the European Union referendum last month.

Theresa May was a “reluctant Remain” supporter and she has vowed that that the Brexit will happen and she will appoint a minister to ensure that the UK leaves the EU in respect of the wishes of the mandate the Exit campaign received.