British-Pakistani councilor Shaukat Ali has been sworn in as the new Lord Mayor of Manchester. Ali, who was born in Pakistan in 1965 and grew up in Batli, Azad Kashmir, moved to Manchester at the age of 16.
He worked in textile manufacturing after arriving in the UK, later ran a furniture business and a small food outlet, and also spent several years driving a licensed taxi in Manchester while studying English in the evenings.
He was formally appointed as Manchester’s 128th Lord Mayor during a ceremony.
Calling the occasion deeply emotional, Ali said the day was made more painful by the death of his mother just a day earlier after a long illness. He said it was a special moment in his life, but one that was also filled with sadness because she was not there to witness it.
Ali later earned an IT diploma from City College Manchester and went on to build a political career in local government. Since first being elected as a councilor in 2012, he has served on several important committees, including planning and highways, children’s scrutiny, neighborhood services and regional boards.
In his first speech as Lord Mayor, Ali said Manchester was a city built on diversity, culture and fairness, where people from different backgrounds and beliefs lived side by side and helped shape its identity. The father of four also said Manchester had given him everything he has today.
During his mayoral year, Ali said he wants to focus on supporting children in social care and promoting stronger community cohesion across the city.
The ceremony also marked the departure of outgoing Lord Mayor Carmine Grimshaw, whose term was praised by councilors across the chamber. Tributes highlighted his extensive public engagement during the year, including visits across the city’s wards and outreach within Manchester’s communities.
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