Britain’s Prince William, Kate Middleton arrive in Pakistan on 5-day visit

The Duke of Great Britain and the Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton, arrived on their first visit to Pakistan on Monday night.

The royal couple was received by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and his wife after their plane landed at Nur Khan air base, near the capital. The British High Commissioner in Pakistan, Thomas Drew, was also present on the occasion.

William and Kate disembarked from the Royal Air Force plane on a red carpet that they had deployed.

The five-day visit, which will end on October 18, was organized at the request of the Office of Foreign Affairs and the Commonwealth of the United Kingdom (UK).

Foreign Minister Qureshi, while speaking with the media at Nur Khan Air Base, recounted previous visits to Pakistan by members of the British royal family.

He said Pakistanis still recognize Prince William's mother, Princess Diana, for her humanitarian work, especially for her fundraising efforts for the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital, which was built by now Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The minister said the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will travel throughout the country as part of a "very elaborate" program.

This will be the first royal tour to the country since 2006 when Prince Charles and Camilla, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, traveled to Pakistan.

Read: & # 39; Historical ties & # 39 ;: a retrospective look at previous visits to Pakistan by British royalty

Arriving on Twitter earlier in the day, British High Commissioner Thomas Drew said it will be a "very exciting program."

"Of course, he will respect the historical relationship between Britain and Pakistan. But he will focus heavily on showing Pakistan as it is today: a dynamic, aspirational and forward-looking nation," he said.

He added that the royal couple was eager to meet as many Pakistanis as possible and build a lasting friendship with the people of Pakistan.

During his time in Pakistan, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will visit Islamabad, Lahore, Gilgit-Baltistan and the rugged border regions to the west, had declared an official brochure of the Kensington Palace. The visit will cover more than 1,000 kilometers and will cover Pakistan's rich culture, its diverse communities and its beautiful landscapes, according to the brochure.

"Access to quality education, particularly for girls and young women, is one of the UK's top priorities in Pakistan," he added.