LONDON: British-Pakistani diplomat Fouzia Younis this week became the first British Muslim to be appointed His Majesty’s British Consul General to Toronto, marking the end of her Pakistan posting as a senior diplomat at the British High Commission.

Ms Younis, a British Pakistani whose family moved to the UK in the late 70s, shared the news on Twitter with an acknowledgment of her parents’ sacrifice and dedication.

“To my aba who used to drop me at Digbeth Coach Station at 4 am so I could get to my work interviews, & my late ama who stood up for 18 year old me to go to uni & waited at bus stops to walk me home through dark streets. You went without for our today. Shukriya”

She dedicated the milestone to “the girls who look like me, who are battling prejudice, racism & sexism from within communities & outside, who are told they can’t do it, or that they don’t sound or look the part. Don’t let anyone dim your power.”

In the past, Ms Younis, who was born in Birmingham, has spoken about the challenges faced by her immigrant parents, specifically her mother Zohra Begum, who had to adjust to a new life in the United Kingdom where she battled racism and Islamophobia.

In a tribute to her late mother, who passed away from Covid-19 complications in 2021, Ms Younis said: “Mum called out racism from society, stuck up for women’s rights in the community & wore her headscarf with pride. She cleaned eggs thrown at our doors & when comments were made post 9/11 about our faith, she responded with dignity. ‘We set the standard’ she said.”

The first in her family to go to university, Ms Younis did her bachelor’s degree at University of Birmingham and went on to do a master’s at University of Cambridge. She served as the director of communications at the BHC in Islamabad three years ago, and previously served as the co-chair of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Race Network.

Speaking to Dawn, Ms Younis said: “There are lots of memories, but the standout for me would be the royal visit and the cricket. It was such a proud moment to have the England cricket team back in Pakistan after 17 years. It represented Pakistan in a very different light across the world.”

About her next role, Ms Younis said: “It’s a pinch me moment! Can’t quite believe it. It’s absolutely worth it for me to have one girl hear my story and think she could do this too, to inspire the next generation.”

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2023