28th July 2014 Islamabad, Pakistan
One of the themes running through my work during my time in Pakistan has been supporting the courageous women and men working for women’s empowerment and equality and an end to violence against women in Pakistan. Violent conflict is perhaps the greatest “anti-development” driver a country can face. Pakistan has not only suffered 40-50,000 deaths […]
16th July 2014 Islamabad, Pakistan
Pakistan has been invited to join leaders, senior ministers and Defence Chiefs from around 60 countries at the NATO summit in Wales in early September. The summit is planned to be the largest gathering of international leaders ever to take place in Britain. The summit comes as NATO draws down in Afghanistan, its longest ever […]
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7th July 2014 Islamabad, Pakistan
When I first arrived in Pakistan, I said that strengthening trade and investment between the UK and Pakistan is my top priority. British Prime Minister Cameron and Pakistani Prime Minister Sharif, in their last meeting in London, pledged to increase bilateral trade and investment between our two countries to £3 billion by the end of […]
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11th May 2014 Islamabad, Pakistan
A year ago today, Pakistan went to the polls to elect a new Government. Some 50 million Pakistanis turned out to vote. They made a statement about the future they want for their country – a future based on democracy and accountability through the ballot box. We went on to see the first ever full […]
1st March 2014 Islamabad, Pakistan
The Asia Cup has just started and cricket fever is in the air. During Pakistan’s opening match in the series, I was intrigued to see how many of my Pakistani acquaintances were glued to their TV sets, constantly updating their Twitter feeds and Facebook statuses. Wins and losses do not keep the Pakistani cricket fan […]
17th February 2014 Islamabad, Pakistan
Let me start by saying that I am honoured and proud to have been appointed as the British High Commissioner to Pakistan. I believe I have got one of the best jobs in the British Diplomatic Service. The country is also close to my heart. I have some very old connections with Pakistan. My grandfather […]
9th May 2013 London, UK
My first visit to a polling station was not to vote, but as a poll clerk. From 6am until 10pm I sat in a draughty hall in Harrow, north London checking that the voters were on the electoral register, validating their ballot paper with a special machine and handing it to them so they could […]
28th March 2013 London, UK
I must be in hundreds of photos seen by people around the world. Not because I’m some global celebrity, but because I regularly walk or cycle over the bridge by the Houses of Parliament in London. Each time I do, I end up in the photos of tourists lining up to take pictures of the […]
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28th February 2013 Islamabad, Pakistan
Now, I’m not one who normally gets passionate about sport. I could have been certain that my first blog from Pakistan, where I recently arrived as the High Commission’s new Press Attaché, would not have been about sport. But, I am surprisingly doing just that. When I think of sport in Pakistan, cricket comes into […]
22nd November 2012 Islamabad, Pakistan
Written by an avid cricket fan and guest blogger from the British High Commission in Islamabad: A green cricketing outfield under a clear blue sky, the sound of leather on willow on warm sunny afternoon with a majestic church spire as a backdrop; this can only be a scene from my youthful cricketing days turning out for Wimbledon […]