UK deputy speaker thanks Pakistani doctors, nurses

LONDON: Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons Dame Eleanor Laing, DBE MP, has thanked Pakistani doctors and nurses in the United Kingdom for putting their lives at risk to save the lives of others during the Covid pandemic.

The Conservative MP and Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons said last year, under the full lockdown, has been a difficult few months for everyone but there are those who excelled with their service of humanity, by saving lives of others.

She was speaking at an event to celebrate the election victory of Councilor Syed Saqlain Raza from the Chigwell Ward Epping on the Conservative seat. She said: “When you look at the National Health Service (NHS), there is a very large proportion of Pakistani doctors and nurses who have worked hard to look after the vulnerable and to save lives. I am saying thank you to the whole community.”

She said the success of Councilor Syed Saqlain Raza on a traditional Tory seat was a celebration of the integration of Pakistani communities in the UK. She said that all communities showed care and unity during the pandemic and worked closely “over the difficult year”.

She added: “I know it has been a very difficult time in Pakistan and this awful virus is taking its toll as it has done here in Britain. I hope we will be able to visit Pakistan soon once we are able to travel. Pakistan is a fascinating country and I would like to see it.

“Conservative Friends of Pakistan have been a source of enormous support for us in Epping Forest. We have won a great many seats with help from Pakistanis.” Syed Qamar Raza said in his speech that it’s no more true that Pakistanis are attached with the Labour Party.

He said: “Pakistanis are playing a key role now in Conservative politics and thousands of Pakistanis have joined the Conservative party to play their role for our shared values of hard work, success and development. The recent local elections have shown that Conservative party is the home of Pakistanis.”