William and Kate tour to bring Pakistan, UK closer

London: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s upcoming tour to Pakistan aims to strengthen ties between the two nations amid political uncertainty and security concerns.

When the tour was announced, the High Commissioner for Pakistan Mohammed Nafees Zakaria said the upcoming royal visit was a reflection of the importance the United Kingdom attached to its relations with Pakistan.

“The two countries enjoy historical links which both sides wish to strengthen further,” he added.

A statement from the Communications Secretary to The Duke and Duchess Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will undertake an official visit to Pakistan between Monday 14th and Friday 18th October, at the request of The Foreign and Commonwealth

Here is an overview of the British-Pakistani relationship and the current political tensions in the region.

The royal visit – at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office – will pay respect to the historical relationship between Britain and Pakistan.

With Brexit looming, the tour comes as London hopes to strengthen its international relationships, while Islamabad is keen to promote itself as a tourist destination amid concerns over security in the region.British Airways resumed flights to Pakistan earlier this year after they were suspended due to security fears more than a decade ago.According to the Department for International Trade, UK-Pakistan bilateral trade in 2017 was £2.9 billion – exports of goods and services from the UK totalled £1.1 billion.

More than 1.5 million people of Pakistani origin currently live in the UK, with an estimated 270,000 British nationals visiting the country every year.William and Kate’s visit to the region will be the first royal tour in the tenure of Prime Minister Imran Khan after his election last year.

The former international cricketer launched his political career in 1996 when he founded centrist party Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf. Khan – who captained Pakistan’s national side – was previously married to British socialite Jemima Goldsmith. The couple were a friend of William’s mother Diana, Princess of Wales.