High level visits between UK, Pakistan likely to resume this year: Andrew Dalgleish
Islamabad: High level visits between the UK and Pakistan are set to resume this year, according to Acting British High Commissioner to Pakistan Andrew Dalgleish.
The envoy stated that the British High Commission intended to restart higher level visits between the two friendly countries after Covid affected such exchanges.
“I anticipate that my nation will send ministers, and the UK will welcome the visits of Pakistani ministers,” the envoy said in an interview.
Andrew Dalgleish remarked, “Tourism has also improved after the Covid. The top British official described his time in Pakistan as wonderful yet stressful. “I have never worked so hard in my life since, on the one hand, the High Commission is one of our largest embassies in the world and, on the other hand, there has been a great deal of activity, much of it positive but some of it considerably more difficult. Like when it floods,” he said.
According to Andrew Dalgleish, the UK was one of the first nations to intervene and secure some urgent humanitarian aid to assist during the floods, when conditions were at their worst.
Of course, we should realise that we are not yet out of this. There are still numerous areas of Pakistan that are under water, and many people are suffering from hunger. So, the issue hasn’t resolved itself just because the international media is focusing on something else. We are quite aware of that,” he said. According to Andrew Dalgleish, the UK provided rapid humanitarian relief, which completely altered the activities of the British High Commission.
Andrew Dalgleish said that for making the funds available, the international community needs a clear plan from Pakistan.
“This means, this is how we are going to spend this money. What won’t happen is $9 billion will be dumped into Pakistan’s bank account and they will then figure out what to do,” he stressed.
Andrew Dalgleish said there would not have been a $9 billion commitment in Geneva if there was not a certain amount of confidence of the international community in the Pakistani government.
“I can see as an observer that urgency is an important part of what happens. Clearly, Pakistan needs to get it right, but there is inescapably an element of emergency there for the unfortunate people affected by the flooding. And also when it comes to the economic situation, Pakistan doesn’t have the luxury of time. Steps need to be taken with that sense of urgency to demonstrate concrete action towards delivery, whether that’s on the floods or whether that’s demonstrating to the international community that the IMF review is being completed. And that’s a very important,” the envoy said.
