A bit of Glasgow came to Islamabad last night at a special reception of guests from sport, government, civil society, media and Commonwealth alumni
Glasgow will host the Games from 23 July to 2 August 2026. Around 3,000 athletes from 74 Commonwealth nations and territories will compete across 10 sports, including six Para sports.
The event also highlighted the UK’s support for education across the Commonwealth through Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships, which have helped students and future leaders for more than 60 years.
British High Commissioner, Jane Marriott CMG OBE, said:
“The Commonwealth Games are about more than medals. They bring people together, celebrate talent and show the power of sport to unite communities.
“Pakistan has a proud sporting history, and athletes who continue to inspire young people across the country. As Glasgow welcomes the Commonwealth, we are proud to celebrate the strong links between the UK, Pakistan and our Commonwealth family.”
The reception reflected the Commonwealth Games’ spirit of friendship and opportunity, bringing together guests to mark the start of Glasgow 2026 in Islamabad.
Before the reception, the British High Commission held a short award presentation for Pakistani recipients of the Queen Elizabeth II Commonwealth Trust 100 Young Leaders Awards. The following young leaders were awarded for their work in education, inclusion, youth empowerment, technology and gender equality:
Farah Gul Rahuja, Co-Founder of PakGPT, uses inclusive AI to support education, health and climate resilience in underserved communities.
Hassan Ashraf, Founder and CEO of Umeed Foundation, expands free education for child labourers and underserved children across Pakistan.
Hadiqa Bashir, Founder and Executive Director of Girls United for Human Rights, works to end child marriage, tackle gender-based violence and promote girls’ education.
Joshua Dilawar, Founder and Executive Director of ISYD, advances youth inclusion, health equity and gender equality, including training deaf young people as peer educators.
Glasgow 2026 follows the UK’s successful hosting of Glasgow 2014 and Birmingham 2022.
Notes to editors
The Commonwealth is a voluntary group of 56 independent and equal countries. The Commonwealth Games bring together athletes from member countries, the UK’s four Home Nations, Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories.
Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships support talented people to study, build networks and bring new skills back to their communities. Commonwealth alumni were also in attendance at the event.
The Queen Elizabeth II Commonwealth Trust 100 Young Leaders Awards recognise young people making a positive difference in their communities. At the Islamabad event, Pakistani recipients were recognised for their work in education, inclusion, youth empowerment, technology and gender equality.
