ZUBAIR QURESHI
The British High Commission in Islamabad Tuesday evening hosted the ‘King’s Birthday Party,’ first since 1951, marking His Majesty, King Charles III’s 75th birthday (Nov 14). The reception turned out to be a high voltage party with music, musti, food and fun and the guests enjoyed themselves an evening to be remembered for long.
The party was reflective of the traditional hospitality the UK high commission is known for on such occasions and the fact that it was the first birthday ceremony since the coronation of the Monarch earlier this year on May 6, had made it all the more special. Celebrated as a ‘national day’ by the UK, the event had an environment and climate change theme. This is also reflective of both the King’s interests and the high priority given to this by the UK.
Caretaker Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, Jalil Abbas Jilani was the Chief Guest on the occasion while High Commissioner Jane Marriott was there to receive the guests personally.
In his brief speech on the occasion, Foreign Minister, Jalil Abbas Jilani said Pakistan and the UK were close friends and cooperating in all fields.
He congratulated the High Commissioner of the UK on the auspicious occasion of the King’s Birthday and held King Charles III as a great friend and well-wisher of Pakistan. “King Charles is loved in Pakistan and his support for the developing nation is highly appreciable,” said the FM.
Speaking to an audience of over 700 high profile attendees, High Commissioner Jane Marriott welcomed the guests and outlined the depth of the UK-Pakistani cooperation on environment and climate change.
Noting that since the 2022 floods, the UK has more than doubled investment in climate finance, and climate resilience and adaptation in Pakistan, she announced the start of two new climate-related initiatives.
They include the start of phase two of the UK’s Climate Finance Accelerator Programme, which would see 8 innovative Pakistani-based projects. They would receive technical support to help them find private investment to tackle climate-related issues. Besides, a new programme to expand a piloted Artificial Intelligence (AI) based ‘Early Warning Forest Fire Detection System’ to cover more forested areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa as well as the Federal Capital Territory, which will help protect lives, jobs, livelihoods and Pakistan’s biodiversity.
King Charles’ Birthday celebrations are also scheduled in Lahore (16 Nov) and Karachi (17 Nov) and all will be environment & climate-themed.
