'Conservative Friends of Pakistan Group' launched

Appreciating the launching of Conservative Friends of Pakistan group in the British parliament, the Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague said this assemblage would go a long way in further cementing the ties between the two countries.
Speaking at a reception hosted by the Pakistan High Commissioner to UK, for the delegates attending the annual Conservative Party conference in this principal midland city last night, he said there is a lot of enthusiasm among his party members for friendship with Pakistan.
"We believe in this friendship very strongly," Hague said and recalled his recent visit to Pakistan with the party leader David Cameron. He said the Tory party is mindful of the difficulties Pakistan is currently facing and the loss of precious lives in the recent Islamabad hotel bombing.
This huge loss together with the assassination of Benazir Bhutto for the cause of democracy, he said, moved the people of UK very much. He spoke of optimism and hope in Pakistan and said during their visit, they had good exchange of views with leaders of all the major political parties.
"We expressed our strong support for all their efforts including those by the newly elected President Asif Ali Zardari for consolidating democracy." Hague said they saw the real and secure establishment of democracy with independent judiciary, strong diverse media and political parties. "The future of Pakistan will be different from the last few decades and we look forward to working together in many areas including economy and development."
The Shadow Foreign Secretary further said Pakistan is the second largest recipient of UK aid, which is helping the South Asian country to alleviate poverty.
"We are looking for long and deep friendship based on genuine understanding. Situation of Britain and Pakistan is closely intertwined. Both the countries need to work together closely to face the global challenges."
Pakistan High Commissioner Wajid Shamsul Hasan termed the launching of the Conservative Friends of Pakistan Group as "historic day" and expressed his gratitude to MP Rob Wilson, Lord Altaf Sheikh and others for taking keen interest in the formation of the group. He said relations with UK form the centrepiece of Pakistan's foreign policy as both countries shared history and a common vision of partnership for global peace in the 21st century.
"Nearly a million strong Pakistani origin diaspo given multidimensional facet to this relationship that covers cooperation in trade and economy to countering the challenge posed by global terrorism."
Hasan noted that the new democratic government led by Pakistan Peoples Party envisions the country as a modern, liberal and progressive country and is making efforts for the prosperity and welfare of its people.
He said beset by internal and external challenges, the new government from the very onset has pursued a policy of national reconciliation with all major political forces and is of the firm view that only when there is a broad national consensus there can be effective implementation of policies. The High Commissioner said Pakistan expects from its friends in the UK and elsewhere to support and cooperate with it and provide space to the democratic government to find solutions to problems such as terrorism and Kashmir.
Others who spoke on the occasion included Sajjad Karim, member of the European parliament and Chairman Friends of Pakistan Group in EU, Barrister Rahman Chishti, a prospective Tory party candidate for Gillingham constituency, Lord Altaf Sheikh, MPS Rob Wilson, Alan Duncan, Baroness Saiyeda Warsi, Baroness Varma, and Baroness Neville Jones. Deputy High Commissioner Manzur-ul-Haq, Councillor Kemal Butt, members of the Muslim forum, and other senior officials of the Chancery were also present on the occasion.
The speakers spoke of the importance of the friendship with Pakistan and its importance to UK. They said the country was extraordinarily crucial to the world peace and it will remain at the centre of Conservative Party's foreign policy. Rob Wilson was elected as the Chairman of the Group with Lord Sheikh and Steven Hammond as the vice chairmen and Stewart Jackson as the Secretary while a four-member Executive Committee was also elected.