British Pakistani lawyer head-to-head with Labour leader Keir Starmer

LONDON: British Pakistani lawyer Mehreen Malik is taking on Labour leader and Prime Minister hopeful Sir Keir Starmer in Central London’s constituency for the 4th July elections, with the aim to prevent Sir Starmer from entering 10 Downing Street to lead the next government.

The Conservative Party has given the ticket to high-flying lawyer Mehreen Malik to challenge former lawyer Sir Keir Starmer who last won from the same London seat – and now trying to win it again as polls show Labour is headed for a huge majority to form the next govt.

However, the key challenge to Keir Starmer comes from Lahore-born Mehreen Malik -- who is the niece of former Senate Chairman Waseem Sajjad, daughter of Shahid Malik, Pakistan’s former high commissioner to India, and granddaughter of a former judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, who then went on to become the chief election commissioner for Pakistan.

Mehreen Malik told Geo News she has entered this race with the objective to beat Sir Keir in the Holborn and St Pancras constituency.

She told this reporter: “I am immensely proud to be given this opportunity as a Conservative Party candidate. It’s truly a party of aspiration and I stand here today as a testament to that.

“This is a difficult seat to contest. When I moved to London to study to become a barrister, the very first place I lived was in this constituency at graduate student housing in London House in Mecklenburgh Square. I am a Londoner. I know the local issues and I know I can address these issues. I can go head-to-head with Sir Keir. He was a barrister and I studied as a barrister and am now a solicitor. I have worked in various legal firms in London and previously in Lahore, New York and New Delhi.”

The city barrister said Starmer says he cares about the people of this constituency but seems to only pay lip service to the idea. She said: “While I campaign daily, knock on doors, and talk to the residents about local issues, I hear how he is totally absent from his home constituency. I have worked on issues around the housing crisis, costs of living crisis, crime and other important issues that impact Londoners.”

Mehreen Malik’s interest in politics started when she would hear her father and uncle, Waseem Sajjad discuss politics at home, during Friday family meals. She said: My father was also a Pakistani diplomat. This was a household where politics was everywhere. We used to talk about politics every Friday on family meals. And it was inspiring. From a very young age that became part of my world and I learnt the values of justice and public service.”

After coming to London around 20 years ago, she decided to get involved in law and politics to “be a voice for young girls who see me doing this, so they know that they too can do this ” and “to inspire young girls to show them that you can come to this wonderful country, be who you are and do whatever you want to do”.