London mayor to visit three Pak cities for trade links

LONDON: London Mayor Sadiq Khan has said that democracy is the only way forward for Pakistan. London Mayor said this here while announcing his plans to visit India and Pakistan on a mission to drum up trade links between the capital and the two countries. He is due to meet not only politicians and business leaders, but also figures in the Bollywood film industry as well as representatives of the sports, tech and education sectors during his six-day visit to six cities towards the end of this year.

His office said Mr Khan would be the first Mayor of London to visit India and Pakistan in a single trip, as well as the first major British politician to carry out a trade mission to both countries in recent times.

Answering a question about people buying properties in the UK, he said these issues are for Pakistani courts and the British government but of course living in the democracy “judges can hold accountable the executive if there is any wrongdoing as in our democracy which is 500-600 years old but Pakistani democracy is only 70 years old and Pakistan have had martial laws as well.”

Sadiq Khan said in Pakistan democracy is the only solution. He said there were challenges but democracy gives people opportunities and influences who govern us. He said bilateral trade between the UK and Pakistan is valued at £2 billion and in 2015 five Pakistanis companies were listed on the London Stock Exchange with a combined market value of £10.5bn. He said he was deliberately going Pakistan and India because British politicians go either to Pakistan or India and if they go to Pakistan they only go to Islamabad but “we will set a record.”

He said: “In Pakistan I will go to Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. Lahore is the cultural capital, Islamabad is the political capital and Karachi is the commercial capital of Pakistan and I will go all these places. We will go to six cities in six days in India and Pakistan, we will not be sleeping. I want to send the message to Pakistan and India that London is open for talent, business and friendships.” Only two cities in the world provide more investment in Pakistan than London, and 44% of the fastest growing Indian companies now have a base in London.

Mr Khan said: "As someone whose grandparents were born in India, and whose parents moved to London from Pakistan, I feel a deep affinity for the subcontinent. But what excites me most about this trip is that I know it can deliver real benefits for Londoners - benefits in terms of business and trade, jobs and investment, and in terms of cultural and technological exchange.”

"This is a really important mission as there are so many areas in which London can work with its counterparts across India and Pakistan, not only in business but in tackling some of the biggest challenges we all face - such as air pollution and climate change,” he added.

He said, "I am passionate about showing that my city will always be open to engaging with partners from around the world, and I look forward to strengthening the bonds between London and our friends in India and Pakistan later this year."

Accompanied by his deputy mayor for business, Rajesh Agrawal, Mr Khan is due to visit Mumbai, Delhi and Amritsar in India, before heading to Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi in Pakistan.