Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, during his visit to Karachi on
Friday, said that he was proud of his Pakistani heritage, adding that it
had been "a privilege" to have visited the country.
After arriving in the city, he visited the mausoleum of Quaid-i-Azam amid strict security, where he offered fateha and laid down flower wreaths on the grave of the founder of Pakistan.
Talking to the media later, he reiterated his invitation to London,
saying Britain's capital was open to everyone for education, business or
tourism.
"It is a simple message that can be summed up in three
words: London is open," he said, referring to the campaign that he
launched following the European Union referendum. Khan added that London
and Pakistan share "a long history".
Karachi is Khan's last stop in Pakistan. He arrived in Lahore via the Wagah Border
after his visit to India, on Wednesday. He was welcomed by officials
from the Punjab government and later met the provincial Chief Minister
Shahbaz Sharif.
On Thursday he visited Islamabad, where he met with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.
Khan
is the first-ever mayor of London to make an official visit to
Pakistan. His visits to India and Pakistan are part of the #LondonIsOpen
campaign. The trip is aimed at strengthening trade and investment links
as well as promoting cultural exchange.