UK doing ‘all it can’ to cooperate with Pakistan amid Covid-19: Deputy HC Alison Blackburne

ISLAMABAD   –  Deputy British High Commissioner Alison Blac kburne yesterday said that the United Kingdom was doing “all it can” to cooperate with Pakistan amid the COVID-19.

Speaking to The Nation at a reception here, she said the UK has great interest in Pakistan but due to the pandemic, the activities were restricted. “Still we are doing what we can. There are activities going on. We have to follow the SOPs. COVID-19 is not letting normal activity. We hope things will improve soon,” she said. Head of Communication and Public Diplomacy at the British High Commission Islamabad Fouzia Younis and Deputy Head of Communications Cameron Millar hosted the reception.

Alison Blackburne said the situation in the UK would hopefully improve in the coming months. “This should allow normal travelling and education activities. I know the students here (in Pakistan) have this big question. We hope this will be change to better,” she added. 

She said last month the British High Commission had hosted a virtual roundtable discussion to demonstrate the UK’s support on Media Freedom and the latest trends in the media freedom landscape in Pakistan, with a particular focus on women journalists.

At that event, Alison Blackburne had said: “A vibrant media is an essential element of a vibrant democracy. Women have an important role to play in the media, and should be able to do so on an equal basis with their male colleagues.” 

She added: “The UK has long promoted and defended media freedom, both at home and in supporting the development of a strong and independent media around the world, including in Pakistan. We remain strongly committed to media freedom, and to championing democracy and human rights.” Speaking at the reception, Head of Communication and Public Diplomacy at the British High Commission Fouzia Younis said Pakistan and the UK enjoyed great friendship. She said it was unfortunate that COVID-19 had restricted normal activities. “It took me several months to be able to meet you together. The situation is returning to some normality and we expect the world top come out of it,” she said. Speaking in a combo of English, Urdu and Pothwari, she said the Pakistani journalists were being welcomed by the UK under the scholarship programme.

“This is the first time that more Indian journalists were selected than from Pakistan. I don’t know if it is because of COVID-19 but we would expect more applications next time. On a positive note, we have awarded scholarship to 60 per cent of women journalists this time under the journalists scholarship programme,” she remarked.

She added: “This forms part of our ambition to have at least an equal split of male and female scholars and I would love to see the same again for the next academic year.”

Fouzia Younis said despite the pandemic, two British airlines had started operations in Pakistan and cricket ties were resumed. Deputy Head of Communications at BHC Cameron Millar said the High Commission will interact more with the media in the coming months as the COVID-19 situation improves. 

He thanked the Pakistani media for giving positive coverage to the BHC activities to enhance UK-Pak friendship.

Article source: https://nation.com.pk/22-Jan-2021/uk-doing-all-it-can-to-cooperate-with-pakistan-amid-covid-19-deputy-hc-alison-blackburne