In Birmingham—the United Kingdom’s largest city after London—new Lord Mayor Zafar Iqbal Chaudhry has officially taken office, becoming the first Muslim to hold the position.
Chaudhry is originally from Pakistan. During the ceremony at the city council, attention focused on the participation of a Muslim chaplain, who delivered a prayer for the well-being and success of the city’s new leader.
Over recent decades, Birmingham’s demographic makeup has changed significantly amid large-scale immigration. A substantial share of the city’s population now consists of people of South Asian origin, as well as members of the Muslim community.
London’s mayor is also a politician of Muslim background—Sadiq Khan, whose family has Pakistani roots.