Saudi ambassador opens annual extravaganza 

Islamabad: Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki kicked off Extravaganza 2022 at International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI). The Extravaganza is an annual event offering an opportunity to students from over 30 nationalities to share their culture and knowledge experience.

IIU President Dr Hathal Homoud Alotaibi accompanied Ambassador Malki at the opening ceremony on the new campus of the university. As a token of respect for humanity, physically challenged students were invited to stand with the dignitaries at the start. The ambassador announced a big sum of 40 million dollars for the university from King Salman bin Aziz and Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman.

The amount will be channelled to IIUI via Education Ministry. The donation will be spent on different educational and other projects at the university. The Saudi ambassador gives extraordinary care to IIUI for the sake of the promotion of education. The university was first set up at Faisal Mosque where its Sharia and Law Department was of prime importance.

Late Benazir Bhutto allotted land for the new campus of the university in the sector dedicated to educational institutions during her tenure as prime minister of the country. Saudi and other Gulf countries also funded the construction of the new building in a big way. During the Extravaganza, the ambassador mixed up with students and had quality time. The university website and social media accounts are filled with messages of gratitude to the ambassador for the donation and the visit.

Adios Christian Turner

British High Commissioner Christian Turner has announced that he will be leaving Pakistan in the middle of January. According to the UK government statement, the British Foreign Secretary, The Rt. Hon. James Cleverly MP, has announced the appointment of Dr Christian Turner to a senior diplomatic position in London as Director General Geopolitical (Political Director) at the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

This is a position equivalent to Under Secretary of State. Dr Christian Turner has served as British High Commissioner to Pakistan since December 2019.

Turner is expected to depart the country and take up his new role in London by mid-January 2023.

The UK government summed up his three years’ achievements as follows: “Turner oversaw the UK’s COVID-19 repatriation efforts, welcomed a UK Foreign Secretary visit, lobbied for and secured direct flights from the UK to Pakistan, initiated a drive to double UK-Pakistan trade by 2025, ensured that the UK was at the forefront of the international Pakistan flood crisis response and played a pivotal role in the promotion of sports diplomacy and the return of the England Men’s cricket team to Pakistan following a 17-year absence.”

Commenting on his tenure in Pakistan, Turner said, “The last three years have been some of the most rewarding of my life, both professionally and personally. I will continue closely to follow Pakistan’s future in my new role in London.”

Before he was appointed High Commissioner to Pakistan, Turner was the Prime Minister’s International Affairs Adviser and Deputy National Security Adviser from April 2017 to July 2019. He previously served as the Director General, Political (Acting) and Director General for the Middle East and Africa, leading the UK organisation of the London Syria Conference in February 2016. From 2012 to 2015 he was the British High Commissioner to Kenya, and from 2009 to 2012 he was FCO’s Director for the Middle East and North Africa. No announcement has been made regarding the appointment of a new High Commissioner to Pakistan. The Deputy High Commissioner, Andrew Dalgleish, will take on the role of chargé d’affaires to cover an expected interim gap until a new High Commissioner arrives.

16 Days of Activism

Swedish Ambassador Henrik Parson has mounted 16 Days of Activism against Violence against Women in a big way, organizing programs at the embassy. Employees, trustees and heads of NGOs dominated the guests who were invited to one such program at the embassy.

Sweden is among the countries that have a strong stance on the issue of gender equality.

The Swedish government has worked out an action plan to combat men’s violence against women.

According to the plan, Sweden will take concrete measures to ensure that effective steps to combat men’s violence against women are taken.

“To ensure a coordinated, long-term and effective approach to preventing and combating men’s violence against women, the Government will now begin work on a new action plan for 2024–2026,” says Minister for Gender Equality and Deputy Minister for Employment Paulina Brandberg.

In its Budget Bill for 2023, Sweden proposes to bolster the work to combat honour-related violence and oppression. This will be done by permanently providing an additional SEK 50 million annually for preventive measures. The Government also proposes to earmark annual government grants of SEK 20 million for women’s and girls’ organisations in socially disadvantaged areas. This will create long-term conditions for civil society to combat honour-related violence and oppression.

The writer is an ICFJ fellow and teaches mediatisation at IIUI