close
Friday March 29, 2024

London is open for Pakistan: Sadiq Khan

By Wadood Mushtaq
December 03, 2017
LONDON: Pakistani origin Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has said that he is proud of contribution made to the great city of London by British Pakistanis.
He was speaking exclusively to Geo/Jang relating to his visit to India and Pakistan. He will spend three days in Pakistan and will travel to Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi.
Sadiq Khan will be the first London's mayor to visit both India and Pakistan as he looks to promote closer ties between the two countries and the capitals. Sadiq Khan has announced a six-day tour, visiting Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Mumbai, Delhi and Amritsar.
Sadiq Khan said that British Pakistanis made London the greatest city in the world. “I want to spread the massage when I go to Pakistan and India,” he added.
He said that being mayor of London he wants to say to all Geo viewers that he is looking forward to his trip to Pakistan. “I am already proud of the contribution made to our great city of the world -- London of British Pakistanis.” He thanked Geo for its positive contribution in promotion of harmony and tolerance in British Society.
He was of the view that London will remain open to the investment and international students despite the UK’s decision to leave European Union (EU).
This is 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 said.
Khan said: “My visit to the Subcontinent will show that London is open to talent, open to partnership, open to business, open to study and above all open to embrace the multi culture. “I will also remind everyone I meet that London will always be a city full of opportunity and one that embraces people of different nationalities, faiths and backgrounds,” he said.
“And that as the Mayor of London I am doing everything within my power to make London as warm, welcoming and accessible to Indian and Pakistani students, business people and entrepreneurs as possible.”
Mr Khan will seek strengthening Pakistan and India’s ties with London given its growing importance to the UK’s tech scene – the top sector for both the countries. He is expected to meet top business executives, as well as prominent figures to boost the economic and cross-cultural ties of the United Kingdom’s capital. The Mayor’s visit is the first by the mayor of London to both South Asian rival countries in recent years.
The volume of bilateral trade between the UK and Pakistan is valued at £2 billion. It is pertinent to mention that grandparents of Mayor Sadiq Khan hailed from Karachi.