MP MARK Pawsey recently visited Pakistan where he met with Government representatives, and talked rugby with the captain of the national Pakistan team.
The MP, along with other Westminster delegates, visited the region of Kashmir, part of which remains in dispute between Pakistan and India.
Mr Pawsey said of the dispute: “This is a matter that can only be solved by the two countries resuming a dialogue and we all hope that this might happen in the near future.”
He also met with Kashif Khawaja, captain of the Pakistani National Rugby Team to talk about the growth and development of the game.
A number of discussions took place with officials during the tour, including those surrounding religious freedom in Pakistan.
Reflecting on his visit, Mr Pawsey said: “There are 1.2 million people of Pakistani heritage in the UK and I was interested to visit and learn more about their country of origin. What I saw was a country which has faced many challenges in the field of security in recent years, and is working extremely hard to provide an environment that is safe for everyone.
“With the UK negotiating to leave the European Union, I was also interested to consider the trade opportunities that exist between our two countries. With the Pakistani economy growing at around 5% per annum, with expected growth up to 7%, there are real opportunities for UK companies.
“Finally, it was great to meet up with Kashif Khawaja, Captain of Pakistan’s national Rugby team, to speak to him about how the game he plays was developed in our town, founded in my constituency, in a country of 200 million people.”
