Pakistan a high priority country for UK: BC director

Central and South Asia - with Pakistan, Nepal, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Iran and Uzbekistan - is a high priority region for the British government, and in this region, Pakistan is a high priority country, according to British Council Country Director Sue Beaumont.
Sue Beaumont, in her message contained in British Council News of September, said the British Council is increasing the scope and range of its programmes in Pakistan to reflect the special nature of the relationship between Pakistan and the UK.
The idea behind this exercise, according to her, is to enable people to get involved in the development of their communities and the country as a whole; to make a difference by sharing knowledge, insights and experience with other people in Pakistan and the UK. This would help in building bridges between the two countries and increasingly with the other countries in the region, challenge stereotypical views of our cultures and build greater mutual understanding in the process.
The new programmes include active citizens, connecting classrooms, skills for employability, and fashion fringe: new silk route. Active citizens will empower young community leaders to motivate others to become involved as active citizens in the democratic development of their communities and engage with wider international initiatives with groups of people in the UK and further afield.
New Silk Route (NSR) is a new creative programme spotlighting the arts across the Central and South Asia region. A three-year initiative, it revolves around the theme of design. It encourages young British designers to work with designers and craftspeople from across the region.
Connecting classrooms will pilot a cluster approach to school linking in Pakistan. What this means is that first five schools in Pakistan will partner with three schools in the UK, a total of eight schools in one cluster. Most of the schools taking part in Pakistan will be state or public schools with a smaller ratio of private schools and some Madaris too - altogether creating an interesting mix of schools. Four clusters will be made in the first year with schools from Peshawar, Fata, Bhitshah and Khanewal.