In an interview with a private TV channel after visiting Karachi and Islamabad last week, Ellwood, who became the first British minister to visit Karachi after 2012, said that in Karachi as well as in Pakistan, militant attacks are down from five a day to one per day or even less which shows that the operation against militants is going on the right path.
The minister's remarks show that the international community - especially important countries like Britain - view positively the drive against hardcore criminal elements in Karachi who had taken the city hostages for years, blocking its progress and peace.
Ellwood said that the UK government fully supported Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's commitment to "make Pakistan a safe place and improve its governance, security and infrastructure." He went on to say that Karachi a gateway to Asia and UK was very interested in playing its role in developing the city so that its ambitions and potential could be realised. He said that Britain desires to be of assistance in the development plans of a "bustling and thriving mega city."
He further said cities as big as Karachi face many challenges but for their vision to prosper it is important that there should be safety all around as well as employment for everyone. Ellwood added that the British army has "growing relations with Pakistan's military." He appreciated the drive against militancy by the Pakistan army and said that it was encouraging that through education programmes, young people were being stopped from becoming extremists.