Rishi Sunak is set to become the UK’s first British-Indian Prime Ministerbut it is reported that he actually also has Pakistani roots.
The former British Chancellor won the Conservative Party leadership contestafter his opponent, Penny Mordaunt, withdrew just before the deadline.
Rishi Sunak will now officially become Prime Minister after a meeting withKing Charles III.
Mr Sunak has often been vocal about his Indian heritage but he also hasPakistani origins.
Hindustan Times reported that his grandparents originated from BritishIndia but their birthplace of Gujranwala lies in modern-day Pakistan,specifically in the Punjab province.
Social media users have been discussing Mr Sunak’s heritage.
One user said: “The Sunaks are a Punjabi Khatri family from Gujranwala, nowin Pakistan. Ramdas Sunak, Rishi’s paternal grandfather, left Gujranwala towork as a clerk in Nairobi in 1935.”
Ramdas’ wife, Suhag Rani Sunak, moved from Gujranwala to Delhi along withher mother-in-law. They later travelled to Kenya in 1937.
Both of Mr Sunak’s parents were born in India before moving to the UK,where Mr Sunak was born in Southampton.
In relation to Mr Sunak’s reported Indian and Pakistani roots, somePakistani netizens have suggested the government to lay its claim on him.
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One person said: “I think Pakistan should also lay claim on Rishi Sunakbecause his paternal grandparents were from Gujranwala who from theremigrated to Kenya and then to Britain.”
Another said: “Wow! What a tremendous achievement. A Pakistani has nowascended to the highest office in England. Anything is possible if youbelieve.”
But others said that both India and Pakistan should be proud of theincoming PM.
A Twitter user wrote: “Going to bed in the US with hopes that a Punjabifrom Gujranwala will be the Prime Minister of the UK in the morning!
According to one Twitter user, the tension between the two countries mayintensify as they claim that Rishi Sunak is the son of their respectivecountry.
Others want Mr Sunak to address the longstanding issue of the Kohinoordiamond.
One person tweeted: “Since he is becoming Prime Minister, I think Pakistanshould ask him to return the Kohinoor diamond which was stolen from Lahore.”
