Conservative Friends of Pakistan hosted a dinner in Manchester as a fringe event with guest speaker Rt Hon Francis Maude MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General.
The objective was to continue reaching out to British Pakistanis and attract them to the Conservative Party.
The event was generously sponsored by Bestway Group and who's Chief Executive, Zameer Choudrey, is Co-Chairman of CFoP. Mr Choudrey stated that in his view the Conservative Party should be the natural political home for British Pakistanis who share such similar values as a strong community, a sense of family, a desire for a good education and to aspire to be successful in business.
Michael Wade, Co-Chairman of CFoP stated that he was delighted to be sharing the chairmanship with Mr Choudrey having originally founded the organisation in 2012 and launching it with the Prime Minister, David Cameron. He underlined the importance of striving towards an integrated society and the role and work the British Pakistanis have in this aim.
Francis Maude appaluded CFoP as a most valuable organisation and one that had the full support of the Conservative Party. The Minister made clear that the Party was making significant efforts in becoming more representative of all commmunities in Britain and that this was something to celebrate.
Lord Tariq Ahmad made an impassioned speech setting out the importance of aspiration within the community and addressing those many beliefs that are held deeply within both the British Pakistani community and the Conservative Party.
The High Commissioner, Mr Wajid Shamsul Hasan, who remained politically neutral, said that the important thing was for British Pakistanis to engage within mainstream British political parties and highlighted the important steps that are being taken to advance this objective across the country.