Glasgow 2026: British High Commission Marks Start of Commonwealth Games in Islamabad
Reception celebrates the opening of Glasgow 2026, honours Pakistani young leaders, and highlights UK support for Commonwealth education initiatives.
British High Commission hosts Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games reception in Islamabad.
ISLAMABAD, July 24, 2026: Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games celebrations began in Islamabad as the British High Commission hosted a reception bringing together guests from sport, government, civil society, the media and Commonwealth alumni to mark the start of the international sporting event.
The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games will take place from 23 July to 2 August 2026, with around 3,000 athletes from 74 Commonwealth nations and territories competing in 10 sports, including six Para sports.
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The event also highlighted the United Kingdom’s long-standing commitment to education across the Commonwealth through the Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships programme, which has supported students and future leaders for more than six decades.
Speaking at the reception, British High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott CMG OBE said the Commonwealth Games represent more than sporting success, describing them as a platform that brings people together, celebrates talent and strengthens communities through sport.
She said Pakistan has a rich sporting tradition and continues to produce athletes who inspire young people across the country. She added that the United Kingdom was proud to celebrate the enduring ties between the UK, Pakistan and the wider Commonwealth family as Glasgow hosts the Games.
Before the reception, the British High Commission recognised four Pakistani recipients of the Queen Elizabeth II Commonwealth Trust 100 Young Leaders Awards for their contributions to education, inclusion, youth empowerment, technology and gender equality.
The award recipients included Farah Gul Rahuja, Co-Founder of PakGPT, for promoting inclusive artificial intelligence to improve education, healthcare and climate resilience in underserved communities; Hassan Ashraf, Founder and CEO of Umeed Foundation, for expanding free education for child labourers and disadvantaged children; Hadiqa Bashir, Founder and Executive Director of Girls United for Human Rights, for campaigning against child marriage and gender-based violence while promoting girls’ education; and Joshua Dilawar, Founder and Executive Director of ISYD, for advancing youth inclusion, health equity and gender equality, including training deaf young people as peer educators.
The reception reflected the Commonwealth Games’ values of friendship, inclusion and opportunity while recognising individuals whose work is creating positive change in Pakistan.
Glasgow 2026 follows the United Kingdom’s successful hosting of the Glasgow 2014 and Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 independent and equal countries, while the Commonwealth Games bring together athletes from member nations, the UK’s four Home Nations, Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories.
