UK's Jane Marriott becomes first female envoy to Pakistan

The UK on Thursday announced the appointment of senior diplomat Jane Marriott as the next British High Commissioner to Pakistan, making her the first female British envoy to Islamabad.

Prior to this appointment, Marriott, 47, was the high commissioner to Kenya since September 2019. She would be replacing Dr Christian Turner, who left Pakistan in January after serving as the envoy since December 2019.

"The first female British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Jane, is due to take up her role in mid-July," the British High Commission in Islamabad said in a statement.

Marriott brings a wealth of thematic and regional experience to her new role having joined the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in 2001, following roles in the Cabinet Office and Home Office.

She has also completed two diplomatic postings to Iraq and one to Afghanistan, the statement from the High Commission said.

Following the announcement of her appointment, Marriot said that she was incredibly excited to be appointed as the next British High Commissioner to Pakistan – “a country I am delighted to have visited twice before”.

“I am looking forward to getting to know this culturally rich and deeply diverse country even better. The United Kingdom’s relationship with Pakistan is rooted in shared history. Our people-to-people ties bind our countries together in common partnership, which I will be aiming to strengthen further,” she said.