ISLAMABAD: Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland arrived in Islamabad on a five-day visit on Sunday, during which she is expected to meet Pakistan’s leadership and express solidarity with the South Asian country as it marks the second anniversary of cataclysmic floods that killed over 1,700 people.
The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 countries, the vast majority of which are former British territories, whose governments pledge to promote common objectives such as development, democracy and peace.
“Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Patricia Scotland has arrived in Islamabad,” a statement from Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said.
“She was welcomed by Additional Foreign Secretary (Europe) Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan at the Islamabad Airport.”
MoFA said this is Scotland’s first visit to Pakistan, adding that she would meet the country’s leadership, federal cabinet members, youth leaders, civil society representatives and other stakeholders.
“The secretary-general will reiterate her solidarity with Pakistan in dealing with the catastrophic floods of 2022 and the adverse effects of climate change,” MoFA said.
Unusually heavy rains and the melting of glaciers in July 2022 killed at least 1,700 people, affected over 33 million and caused more than $30 billion in damages to Pakistan.
Pakistan is consistently ranked as one of the worst-affected countries by climate change, where erratic weather patterns such as heavy monsoon rains and heat waves are frequent.
An earlier press statement issued by MoFA this week said the two sides would also discuss avenues to enhance cooperation between Pakistan and the Commonwealth in other areas of shared interest, including supporting Pakistan’s national development plan, empowering youth, and boosting trade and investment during Scotland’s visit.
She is also likely to visit some flood-affected areas during her visit.
