Politics
British-Pakistani honoured for transforming UK halal meat industry
LONDON: The City of London Corporation has bestowed its highest civic honour — the Freedom of the City of London — upon Tariq Sheikh for his contributions to the British halal meat industry, his pioneering entrepreneurial journey and his commitment to philanthropy.
The Freedom of the City of London is one of the nation’s oldest and most revered traditions, dating back to 1237.
The previous notable recipients include Princess Elizabeth, Queen Elizabeth, Diana, Princess of Wales. Prime ministers of the United Kingdom; Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher. Global leaders; Jawaharlal Nehru, Nelson Mandela. Presidents of the United States of America; Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower. Entrepreneurs and academics; Professor Stephen Hawking, Bill Gates, Jimmy Choo, Morgan Freeman, JK Rowling, Sir Michael Cane, George Helon, JP, and other senior officials within royal family, politics, business, and celebrities in their chosen fields.
“To be granted the Freedom of the City of London is one of the proudest moments of my life,” said Sheikh after receiving the award at the Guildhall.
He added: “I arrived in this great city as a boy of four from Jhelum in Pakistan, and it gave me, my father, and my family a home and an opportunity. This honour is not just for me; it is a testament to the hard work of our entire 400-strong team and the legacy of quality my father began in 1965. We have always believed that ‘halal’ should be synonymous with the highest standards of quality, hygiene, and service, and this recognition inspires us to continue uplifting our industry and serving the communities that have supported us.”
Sheikh said: “Halal meat industry is worth £1.7 billion, which is about 15% of the total UK meat and poultry market, estimated to be £11 billion in the UK and Europe today. I am proud that we have played our role in making it a huge industry, catering to Halal, Kosher and other markets. We started with a small shop but today we have over 30 outlets across the UK, making us the leading halal meat provider.”
The foundation for Tariq Halal Meat was laid in 1965, when Sheikh’s father, a butcher, established the family’s first shop. This family legacy in the meat trade provided the industry-specific knowledge and heritage.
Integral to Sheikh’s story is his profound belief in giving back to the community that provided him with opportunity. Sheikh said he is glad that he was able to bring to the UK over 70 butchers from Pakistan who are now settled in the country.
He said: “We support major charitable organisations, including the Prince of Wales’s British Asian Trust, the British Heart Foundation, and the Cancer Foundation. Some of these charities do a lot of charitable work in South Asian countries like Pakistan. We are also involved in community and educational initiatives that promote entrepreneurship among young individuals from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds.”
WASHINGTON: The US military has not yet escorted any commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz, the White House said on Tuesday, just after US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright deleted a post on X in which he had said the US Navy successfully escorted an oil tanker through the key waterway.
The US-Israel war against Iran has already effectively halted shipments through the Strait along Iran’s coast, where a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes, and Middle East oil producers have run out of storage and stopped pumping.
US President Donald Trump said on March 3 that the US would provide protection through the Strait for oil tankers. The Pentagon on Tuesday renewed threats to hit Iran harder unless shipments can flow through and said it was striking Iranian mine-laying vessels and mine storage facilities.
Wright then posted on X that the US Navy had escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz “to ensure oil remains flowing to global markets.”
Soon after, he deleted the post for reasons that were unclear.
The United States has not yet escorted any oil tankers or vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters when asked about the issue at a press conference later on Tuesday.
Commenting on Wright’s remarks, a spokesperson for Iran’s Revolutionary Guards denied an oil ship had been escorted.
“Any movement of the US fleet and its allies will be stopped by our missiles and drones,” Ali Mohammad Naini said in comments carried by Iranian state media.
The top US general earlier on Tuesday said the US military has started looking at ways to potentially escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, should it be ordered to do so.
“We’re looking at a range of options there,” General Dan Caine told reporters at the Pentagon.
WASHINGTON: The US military has not yet escorted any commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz, the White House said on Tuesday, just after US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright deleted a post on X in which he had said the US Navy successfully escorted an oil tanker through the key waterway.
The US-Israel war against Iran has already effectively halted shipments through the Strait along Iran’s coast, where a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes, and Middle East oil producers have run out of storage and stopped pumping.
US President Donald Trump said on March 3 that the US would provide protection through the Strait for oil tankers. The Pentagon on Tuesday renewed threats to hit Iran harder unless shipments can flow through and said it was striking Iranian mine-laying vessels and mine storage facilities.
Wright then posted on X that the US Navy had escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz “to ensure oil remains flowing to global markets.”
Soon after, he deleted the post for reasons that were unclear.
The United States has not yet escorted any oil tankers or vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters when asked about the issue at a press conference later on Tuesday.
Commenting on Wright’s remarks, a spokesperson for Iran’s Revolutionary Guards denied an oil ship had been escorted.
“Any movement of the US fleet and its allies will be stopped by our missiles and drones,” Ali Mohammad Naini said in comments carried by Iranian state media.
The top US general earlier on Tuesday said the US military has started looking at ways to potentially escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, should it be ordered to do so.
“We’re looking at a range of options there,” General Dan Caine told reporters at the Pentagon.
President Masoud Pezeshkian says anyone who harbors the illusion of destroying Iran knows nothing about the country’s history and past.
Pezeshkian made the remarks in a post on his X account on Tuesday, saying Iran is the heir to a civilization with a history of at least 6,000 years.
“In the course of history, no power has been able to erase this renowned name.”
The Iranian president underscored the fact that the Iranian nation is fundamentally characterized by its enduring strength.
He said those who imagine they can destroy Iran are unaware of the country’s deep historical roots and legacy.
“Invaders have come and gone,” the president wrote, “but Iran has remained.”
The United Stated and Israel started a fresh round of aerial aggression on Iran on February 28, some eight months after they carried out unprovoked attacks on the country.
Iran began to swiftly retaliate against the strikes by launching barrages of missile and drone attacks on the Israeli-occupied territories as well as on US bases in the region.
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White House contradicts claim of US Navy escort in Hormuz Strait
White House contradicts claim of US Navy escort in Hormuz Strait
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