Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif showed up at the UK High Commission in the federal capital to attend an event held in connection with the celebrations of the Queen’s birthday and the platinum jubilee.
It was the first in a series of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee week which will also see birthday events in Karachi and Lahore.
Hosted by British High Commissioner Dr Christian Turner, the event in Islamabad was attended by PM Shehbaz Sharif as the chief guest along with other senior ministers, foreign dignitaries and celebrities.
Extending Greetings
Speaking on the occasion, PM Shehbaz Sharif said the bilateral ties will grow. On behalf of the government and the people of Pakistan, PM Shehbaz extended greetings on this auspicious occasion.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson last month spoke to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the phone and welcomed the United Kingdom and Pakistan’s strong partnership over the past 75 years. They agreed to strengthen those ties further and boost trade and investment.
Expressing Gratitude
The top envoy expressed gratitude to the participants in Urdu language and renewed the UK's resolve to cement the ties with Pakistan.
He paid tribute to the Queen and shed light on her lifelong services, saying: “The Queen’s 70 years of servant leadership show a remarkable record of integrity, hard work and selflessness that are needed more than ever today.
“We are honoured to celebrate her Birthday, her Platinum Jubilee and also 75 years of deep UK-Pakistan relations.”
Colour of Platinum Jubilee
As part of the Platinum Jubilee on the weekend (June 4-5) the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the British High Commission lit a beacon to celebrate the occasion at the same time as it was done in the Commonwealth capitals.
The Pakistan Monument in Islamabad was lit up tonight (Wednesday) in purple, the colour of the platinum jubilee celebrations. The event also underlined Pakistan and the UK’s 75-year partnership – at the heart of which is our people to people links, a 1.6 million Pakistani diaspora in the UK, 500,000 approximate annual visits in both directions, and around 100,000 British nationals based in Pakistan.