High Commissioner for Pakistan and Leading Lib Dems welcome new links with Pakistan

7.43.47pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 1st Jun 2004

Sarah Ludford MEP and future MEP Jonathan Fryer welcome increased future dialogue between the EU and Pakistan

Liberal Democrat MEP for London Baroness Sarah Ludford, accompanied by second MEP-candidate Jonathan Fryer and former Kingston Mayor Cllr Shiraz Mirza, was honoured to meet with High Commissioner for Pakistan Dr Maleeha Lodhi. Dr Lodhi welcomed the recent vote by the European Parliament to approve the EU-Pakistan cooperation agreement, in which Sarah Ludford and LibDem colleagues played a decisive part.

Dr Lodhi highlighted trade and investment, promoting understanding between Islam and the West, and cooperation to solve conflict as major areas of interest in the EU-Pakistan relationship. Sarah Ludford also spoke of how Europe could assist in the strengthening of democracy and human rights observance, not least the rights of women.

Sarah commented: "Dr Lodhi's distinguished background as an academic, newspaper editor and Ambassador to the US make her an exciting appointment to take forward the links between Europe and Pakistan, in which the British connection naturally plays a central role"

"I look forward to working with her and my other Liberal Democrat colleagues in the future, including our London councillors like Shiraz Mirza and Farooq Qureshi, and new member of the House of Lords Baroness Kishwer Falkner (nee Kishwer Khan).

"We are also confident that with the support of the British Pakistani community Liberal Democrats will have our first Pakistani member of the European Parliament, Sajjad Karim, after June 10th."

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