British High Commission, Islamabad | |
---|---|
Location | Islamabad, Pakistan |
Address | Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, PO Box 1122 |
Coordinates | 33°43′11″N73°6′30.6″E / 33.71972°N 73.108500°E |
High Commissioner | Jane Marriott |
Deputy High Commissioner | Alison Blackburne |
Website | British High Commission, Islamabad |
The British High Commission in Islamabad is the chief diplomatic mission of the United Kingdom in Pakistan. It is located in the Diplomatic Enclave in Islamabad. The current British High Commissioner to Pakistan is Jane Marriott, and the Deputy High Commissioner is Alison Blackburne. [1] The UK also has a Deputy High Commission in Karachi and a Trade and Investment Office in Lahore. [1]
The British High Commission oversees matters pertaining to the bilateral relationship between the UK and Pakistan, and provides consular services to British citizens in Pakistan. [2] [3]
The British High Commission consists of a residency building and the main offices which sit across its courtyard. Between the two buildings is an eight feet high plinth statue of Queen Victoria, which was donated by the Punjab government. The complex is described as "a modern two-storeyed stone and concrete construction". [4] Its architect was Adrian Bell, who also designed the British embassy in Brasilia. The High Commission is secured by walls, barbed wire and security personnel who guard its entrance. [4]
The Islamic Republic of Pakistan emerged as an independent country through the partition of India in August 1947 and was admitted as a United Nations member state in September 1947. It is currently the second-largest country within the Muslim world in terms of population, and is also the only Muslim-majority country in possession of nuclear weapons. De facto, the country shares direct land borders with India, Iran, Afghanistan, and China.
A British High Commission is a British diplomatic mission, equivalent to an embassy, found in countries that are members of the Commonwealth of Nations. Their general purpose is to provide diplomatic relationships as well as travel information, passports, dual-citizenship information, and other services between Commonwealth states.
In the Commonwealth of Nations, a high commissioner is the senior diplomat, generally ranking as an ambassador, in charge of the diplomatic mission of one Commonwealth government to another. Instead of an embassy, the diplomatic mission is generally called a high commission.
Pakistan–United Kingdom relations are the bilateral ties between the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Both countries are members of the Commonwealth of Nations, and the United Kingdom is home to a large Pakistani diaspora population. Until 1956, Pakistan was nominally part of the British Empire as a post-independence federal Dominion in the aftermath of the partition of British India in 1947. After years of efforts, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office now consider most of Pakistan safe for travel. Historically, Britain and Pakistan allied to prevent the incursion of communism. It was a final wish of founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah for the British and Pakistani people to enjoy friendship and good relations.
The Foreign Service of Pakistan is part of the Central Superior Services of Pakistan. It was formally created in October 1952, after having been an improvised organization since the creation and independence of Pakistan in 1947. Its old name was Foreign Service of India working within the Indian Civil Service before 1947. After 1947, its recruitment and hiring of employees is done through the larger organization Civil Service of Pakistan. Chaudhry Sir Muhammad Zafarullah Khan was a Pakistani jurist and diplomat who served as the first Foreign Minister of Pakistan. After serving as foreign minister he continued his international career and is the only Pakistani to preside over the International Court of Justice. He also served as the President of the UN General Assembly. He is the only person to date to serve as the President of both UN General Assembly and the International Court of Justice.
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The High Commission of the United Kingdom in New Delhi is the diplomatic mission of the United Kingdom in India. It is located at Shantipath in Chanakyapuri.
Sir Philip Robert Barton is a British diplomat, currently the Permanent Under-Secretary of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. He was previously British High Commissioner to India; he was High Commissioner to Pakistan from 2014 to 2016.
Andrew Dalgleish is a British diplomat who has been the acting High Commissioner to Pakistan since January 2023. Between 2016 and 2022, he was the British ambassador to Croatia.
The High Commission of Bangladesh in Islamabad is the chief diplomatic mission of Bangladesh to Pakistan. It is located in Sector F-6 of Islamabad. The present Bangladeshi High Commissioner to Pakistan is Md. Ruhul Alam Siddique, who assumed diplomatic duties in October 2020. Bangladesh also has a Deputy High Commission in Karachi, and an honorary consul in Lahore.
The Deputy High Commission of Bangladesh in Karachi is a diplomatic mission of Bangladesh in Pakistan. It is located in Phase VI of the Defence Housing Authority in Karachi. The presently designated Deputy High Commissioner is S. M. Mahbubul Alam, who was appointed in 2021. The Deputy High Commission reports to the High Commission of Bangladesh in Islamabad.
The British High Commission Kampala is the diplomatic mission of the Government of the United Kingdom to Uganda. It is located on Windsor Loop in the Kampala suburb of Kamwokya. The current British High Commissioner is Lisa Chesney.