The Mayor of London's 6-day journey from India to Pakistan has been a momentous one that will undoubtedly go down in history. On his 4th day of his 6-day mission to two nations, the Mayor of London crossed the Wagah border, walking from India to Pakistan, which has made him the first British politician of his generation to make the journey between the two neighbouring countries by foot.
After entering Pakistan, the Mayor of London visited the Badshahi Mosque and Iqbal's mausoleum in Lahore, accompanied by the Mayor of Lahore.
Sadiq Khan also attended a cultural show hosted by the Chief Minister of Punjab (Pakistan) where he met many high-profiled individuals, including the versatile Pakistani singer and actor Ali Zafar.
On the last leg of his tour, Sadiq Khan visited the final resting place of the first Prime Minister of independent Pakistan, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammed Ali Jinnah in Mazar-e-Quaid, Karachi. The Mayor of London paid his respects to the founder of Pakistan and hailed him as a champion of democracy, women's rights and religious freedom.
Sadiq Khan said, “It is an honour to visit Mazar-e-Quaid today to pay my respects to the great Muhammad Ali Jinnah, particularly as someone of Pakistani heritage. Muhammad Ali Jinnah is a pivotal figure in history but is also still an inspiration today – not just to Pakistanis, but to millions around the world. As a champion of democracy, women’s rights and religious freedom, Muhammad Ali Jinnah will always be someone who millions admire. I was proud to unveil a bust in his honour in London last week and it was hugely important for me to visit his final resting place here in Karachi, the city where he was born, during my first official visit as Mayor of London to Pakistan. My ambition throughout this trip has been to strengthen the ties between London and Pakistan, to share the message that London is open and to encourage more Pakistanis to follow in Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s footsteps by visiting, studying and working in our great city.”
He also visited the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in Islamabad where they discussed the strong links between the UK and Pakistan.
On 8th December, the concluding day of the Mayor of London six-day visit to India and Pakistan, Sadiq Khan announced a raft of new investments into London.
Speaking in Karachi, The Mayor of London said that Habib Bank AG Zurich, which already has eight branches in Britain, was planning to expand by adding two new branches in London, creating 50 new jobs.
He also said that his promotional agency, London & Partners, had this year secured more than 400 Indian jobs in the city’s tech sector. ICT company Wipro has revealed plans to open a new 13,000 square foot office in the City of London. This will be the company’s third London office. Wipro has 1800 employees in London and is continuously investing and growing in the region.
During his visit to the two countries, Sadiq Khan met with business leaders and politicians to ensure that, as Britain prepares to leave the European Union, people in Pakistan and India know that #LondonIsOpen for business, students and tourists. In a major speech earlier in the week of his 6-day tour, he also said that the United Kingdom government needed to do more to make sure students from the region continue to come to London, and also proposed the reintroduction of a Post-Study Work visa.
Speaking at the first and only liberal arts university in Pakistan, Habib University, the Mayor of London said, “This has been a significant visit and one which will reap rewards now and in the years ahead. London already has extremely deep and enduring ties with India and Pakistan, but all relationships need to be nurtured and there has never been a more important time for the United Kingdom and for London to make sure these bonds and links remain strong, and continue to grow. I have announced some key investments from India and Pakistan into London which shows that the city is a vital destination for business and will continue to be so.”
India remains the second biggest foreign investor into London, with Indian firms creating more than 4,500 jobs in London over the last 10 years – more than China, Japan and second only to the United States.
London is the sixth largest destination city globally for Pakistani foreign investment. Between January 2007 and August 2017 London attracted two projects with an estimated capital investment of over £40 million.
Despite making this significant journey and being a proud and strong representative of London, and more so Britain, Sadiq Khan had to still face underlying “racial insensitivity from the western media”. The BBC was accused of being insensitive after one of its reporters who was accompanying the mayor when he was crossing the Wagah border asked Sadiq Khan, “Does it feel like coming home?” to which the Mayor responded, “Home's south London, mate.”
A video of the question and the mayor's answer has gone viral on social media and users have commended Sadiq Khan's answer, while lamented the BBC.
British writer, Sunny Hundal tweeted, “We may have south Asian heritage but our home is Britain. Get that through your heads.”
The spokesperson for Sadiq Khan stated that the mayor had not taken offence at the question.
The Mayor of London is now back in London and all set to tackle issues related to Londoners. Sadiq Khan has pledged to lead by example on London’s black, Asian and minority ethnicity (BAME) pay gap, as part of his drive to tackle inequality.
Sadiq Khan plans to publish data on the pay gap affecting BAME employees in City Hall and across the Greater London Authority (GLA) group, as well as setting out how he will bring about changes to address this.
Last year, the Mayor fulfilled a manifesto commitment by publishing a gender pay audit for organisations across the GLA family, including Transport for London (TfL) and the Metropolitan Police, along with changes to the GLA’s recruitment practices. The audit found that at that time, women employed at City Hall on a full-time contract were paid an average of £21.40 per hour, while their male counterparts earned on average £22.44 – equating to a pay gap of 4.6 %(compared to 11.9 % for all full-time workers in London).
The Mayor of London said, “I’m proud that London is one of the most diverse and progressive cities in the world – the capital has been at the forefront of the fight for equal rights and against injustices in this country for generations. We rightly champion the richness that diversity brings to our city but too often some of those in the BAME community earn less than other Londoners. As long as this unfairness continues, it’s a scar on our city and I’m determined to do all I can to tackle it. The causes can be deep-seated and the effects harm not only the individuals but also their families and their prospects for the future. Tackling this is so critical to addressing unfairness and inequality – which is why I simply refuse to stand by and let this go on. That’s why I will soon publish full details of the ethnicity pay gap at the Greater London Authority along with an action plan of how we will tackle this problem head on.”
