Islamabad: More than 1,000 police will watch over the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Pakistan from Monday for a visit the country hopes will dispel its image as a terrorist haven blighted by violence.
The amount of security is unprecedented for a trip by the couple, William and Kate, as they travel across the country in what Kensington Palace described as the most complex visit undertaken by the royals.
Pakistani officials said their five-day itinerary was being kept tightly under wraps by the military, with local media only being given details at the last minute.
The palace has said the tour will range “from the modern leafy capital, Islamabad, to the vibrant city of Lahore, the mountainous countryside in the north, and the rugged border regions to the west”.
It is the first royal visit to Pakistan, the Commonwealth’s second most populous country, for 13 years.
That 2006 trip by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall came as the country was already sliding into a morass of militant terrorism.
Soon after, it became out of bounds for most Western visitors.
Security has improved in the wake of military operations in the country’s border regions, and the terrorist threat appears to have fallen dramatically.
British Airways resumed direct flights to Islamabad in June after more than a decade. Pakistan’s government is hoping the arrival of the royal couple will showcase its changing fortunes.
Dr Farzana Shaikh, an associate fellow at the Chatham House, said Britain mattered less politically to Pakistan than China or Saudi Arabia, but a royal tour would be a “feel-good” visit.
“It’s going to be, as far a Pakistan is concerned, a further piece to put in place in repairing its image,” she added.
“This relationship between Pakistan and Britain in terms of its political substance, and indeed economic relations, is quite low in the list of Pakistan’s relations with other countries.
“There is a very large Pakistani diaspora in Britain, and there are frequent references to these historic ties.”
The tour will see the Duke follow in the footsteps of his mother, who visited the country in the 90s.
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The visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, from October 14 to 18, will span over 1,000km, and will take in Pakistan’s rich culture, its diverse communities, and its beautiful landscapes.
They will visit programmes that empower young people and organisations that help ensure they have the best possible start in life.
William and Kate will spend time meeting young Pakistanis and hearing more about their aspirations for the future.
The programme will also cover how communities in Pakistan are rapidly responding and adapting to the effects of climate change.
They will also learn more about the challenges and opportunities, both of the past and today.
