Images of the Pakistani flag above Britain’s Westminster Abbey had recently been posted on social media, with many users claiming that the flag had been hoisted for Easter. However, a spokesperson has clarified that the flag was hosted for an entirely different, and traditional, reason.
A spokesperson for the Abbey told Reuters recently, that the Pakistani flag was flown on top of the building on March 22, just before Easter. The Pakistani flag was hoisted above the Abbey for the day on March 22 because a representative of the country’s High Commission attended Evensong that day, having been invited to commemorate Pakistan Day, Reuters quoted the Westminster Abbey spokesperson as saying.
The flag was flown in connection with March 23 and was confirmed by the High Commission in a post on X as well.
The spokesperson said that the tradition of flying the Pakistan flag on Westminster Abbey goes back many years and is shared with other countries of the Commonwealth.
Users on social media had claimed that the flag was actually hoisted for Easter. “Why is the Pakistan flag flying at Westminster Abbey on the holiest of days in the Christian calender? Is this showing how low we have sunk as a country that we daren’t fly the Union flag?” one post read. Representatives of the countries are invited on Evensong on or close the country’s national day, and the flag is hoisted in respect. A representative of the Pakistani High Commission had visited the Abbey in connection with Pakistan Day ahead of March 23, for which the flag was raised.
However, the flag was not kept on the building after March 23, according to the report. The Pakistan High Commission also confirmed the report to Reuters, adding that the tradition was not exclusive to Pakistan. “This year a representative from the High Commission of Pakistan attended Evensong on Friday 22nd March in advance of Pakistan Day on Saturday 23rd March. And, as per tradition the Pakistan national flag was flown,” the High Commission told Reuters.
“This is a tradition of Westminster Abbey. This privilege is accorded to all Commonwealth members on their respective National Days and is not exclusive to Pakistan only,” the High commission added. A place of immense historical significance for UK, the Westminster Abbey is not only the site of the coronation of the monarchs of Britain but also has the final resting places of 18 kings and queens.
