Pakistanis participate in London New Year’s Day parade for first time

The Pakistan High Commission London marched through the streets of the British capital in the annual New Year's Day parade on Sunday for the first time.

Despite a rainy start to 2017 in London, thousands of people hit the streets to watch the parade. Dancers, acrobats, vintage cars and cheerleaders, along with the city's Lord Mayor, flooded the streets for the event.



The event started at Green Park underground station near Buckingham Palace and ended at Parliament Square. More than 8,500 performers from 20 different countries took part in the parade, which was live on 300 television channels with 0.5 million viewers across the globe.

HE Syed Ibne Abbas, the High Commissioner, invited the UK’s Pakistani community to participate in the parade that aimed to show the diversity of culture and people in Pakistan.

#Pakistan segment at #London New Year's Day Parade. Photos via Muneer Ahmad. #HAPPYNEWYEAR #happy2017 pic.twitter.com/tSicN5KDUm

— Cultural Maverick (@CulturalMaverik) January 2, 2017

Pakistan’s participation was part of the events planned by the High Commission to celebrate the 70th Independence Anniversary of Pakistan throughout the year 2017.

https://twitter.com/dr_irfanmalik/status/815647218036277248

The event, which is in its 31st year, was originally created by Bob Bone and his wife Geri after they had wanted to take their children out on New Year's Day and found most museums, theatres, cinemas, restaurants and shops were closed.



Dan Kirkby, communications director for the event, said it was a very "cosmopolitan event,” BBC reported.