BEDFORD: British-Pakistani member of Parliament Mohammad Yasin has been appointed as UK’s Trade Envoy to Pakistan.
Labour’s Yasin, who was elected in July 2024 general elections as member of Parliament for the third consecutive term from Bedford, is part of a new “Global Growth Team” appointed by Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds.
In a statement released on social media, Yasin, who’s born in Mirpur, AJK and graduated from Degree College in Mirpur before moving to the UK, termed it an honour for him to work as a trade envoy for Pakistan, a country where he was born.
“I am deeply honoured to be appointed as the UK’s Trade Envoy to Pakistan. This is an incredible opportunity to foster stronger trade ties, promote investment, and unlock mutual growth between our two great nations”.
Yasin said that in his new role as a trade envoy, he’s looking forward to working with the British High Commission in Islamabad as well as the Pakistani High Commission in the UK to further strengthen the economic ties between the UK and Pakistan.
“Pakistan holds immense potential with a dynamic economy, thriving sectors, and talented people. I look forward to engaging with businesses, stakeholders, and leaders from both sides to build a prosperous future together”.
According to the recent statistics released by UK government, the total trade volume between UK and Pakistan was more than £4.4 billion in 2024.
Total exports from UK to Pakistan were £2.1 billion while the imports from Pakistan stood at £2.3billion. For Pakistan, United Kingdom is third biggest trading partner after USA and China while for the UK, Pakistan was its 49th largest trading partner in 2024.
Yasin is hopeful that his appointment will make a positive impact on trade for both countries.
“This new role complements that work by bringing real benefits back home in the UK: supporting businesses, exploring export opportunities, and creating connections that open doors for growth and shared success. Looking forward to making a positive impact on both fronts”.
Yasin is among 32 parliamentarians who will work along with Business and Trade Secretary Reynolds as special trade envoys to drive UK exports and investment for various countries and regions around the globe to drive economic growth under its “Plan for Change”.
In a statement, Business and Trade Secretary Reynolds said: “Trade and investment are key to delivering economic growth, the number one mission of this Government and a key part of our Plan for Change.
That’s why I’ve launched a new team of Trade Envoys, who will use their experience, expertise and knowledge to unlock new markets around the world for British businesses, drumming up investment into the UK and ultimately driving economic growth”.
Apart from Yasin, other Members of Parliament of Pakistani origin who have been appointed as special trade envoys are Afzal Khan MP for Türkiye, Naz Shah MP appointed to Indonesia and ASEAN, Dr Rosena Allin-Khan appointed to South Africa and Mauritius and Yasmin Qureshi MP appointment to Egypt.
They will work closely with the Department of Business and Trade to not only rebuild the trading relations with the EU but also look for opportunities to access new markets bolstering exports, attracting investments, and removing trade barriers.
