Fouzia Younis, a British-Pakistani diplomat has created history once again as she gets appointed as ‘His Majesty’s British Consul General’ to Toronto.
Fouzia, a senior British diplomat now serving in Islamabad, will shortly depart for Canada to begin her new position.
She was the first diplomat of Pakistani descent to hold this position when she was appointed director of communications at the British High Commission in Islamabad more than three years ago.
She took to Twitter to share this news by stating, “Privileged to be appointed as ‘His Majesty’s British Consul General’ to Toronto…Special moment as we think it’s the 1st time (but don’t have data) that a British Muslim woman has been appointed as Head of a Diplomatic Post.”
Fouzia also paid a heartfelt tribute to her father in her series of tweets, “To my aba (father) 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 formerly served as the co-chair of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Race Network, where she oversaw a global network of more than 300 employees, and as the communication director for the Pakistan Network.
Fouzia has held prior diplomatic positions in Bangladesh supporting UK security and humanitarian initiatives, directing UK strategic efforts throughout the Gulf Cooperation Council, and Sri Lanka during the conflict.
