Let’s learn from each other, urges Sadiq Khan

Mayor of London says Karachi has wonderful people, culture

KARACHI: I think it is wrong for mayor from one part of the world to lecture mayors from other parts of the world, said Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.

Speaking at the British Council on Friday, he said he believes we could learn from each other. “I can learn from Karachi and Karachi can learn from us,” he said. “Karachi is a growing city, much like London, and growth per say is not a bad thing as long as you have a plan for the growth,” Khan explained. He went on to explain that his plan for London is more infrastructure, ensuring citizens have the skills for the jobs of tomorrow, encouraging businesses to come to your city and building the homes people need, which he said other growing cities can also incorporate.

The mayor played a few overs of cricket with children from the British Council's DOSTI programme.PHOTO: EXPRESS

“London in the greatest city in the world,” he said, laughingly apologising to everyone in Karachi. One of the reasons for this is because in London you can be successful if you work hard and get a helping hand, said the mayor. “You can do whatever you want to do,” he said, adding that this is the same in all good cities. He said all great cities need to start providing that helping hand so people can reach their potential. He related this to the Pakistan cricket team winning the ICC Champion’s Trophy and said that was their true potential.



“There are lots of parallels between both [Karachi and London]. We’re both cities with fantastic culture, fantastic sports and wonderful people but we’re both cities that could be even better,” explained Khan. He reiterated the phrase ‘London in Open’, saying the city was open for trade, for business and for visitors. “It is also open-minded and outward looking, so InshaAllah cities around the world can learn from that and that is hopefully something Karachi and London have in common as well,” he said.

He praised the friendship, hospitality, warmth and ‘mohabbat’ he had been shown during his short trip to Pakistan, saying it would stay with him forever.

The mayor said London was open to all. PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS

Earlier, Khan batted a few overs in a friendly cricket match between children as part of the British Council’s DOSTI initiative, which aims to promote peace through sports. British Council Country Director Rosemary Hilhorst said the mayor’s visit to Pakistan strengthened the friendship between the two countries and supported what the British Council was trying to portray via DOSTI.

“The mayor is equally encouraging of boys and girls and that makes a huge difference,” she said, adding that many of the participants of the DOSTI programme were from ‘tough’ areas in the city. Children from SMB Fatima Jinnah Government Girl’s School, Karachi United Football Federation, CMIS and the World Learning Education Society participated in the cricket matches.

The girls had come from SMB Fatima Jinnah Government Girls School. PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS

Also present at the event were Pakistan women’s cricket team captain and vice-captain Bismah Maroof and Javeria Khan, as well as male team captain Sarfraz Ahmed and former cricketer Mushtaq Ahmed. Earlier in the day, Khan visited Quaid-i-Azam’s Mausoleum and laid a wreath on Jinnah’s grave.