Afzal Khan Resigns After Visit to Northern Cyprus

Afzal Khan, the UK Trade Envoy to Turkey and Labour MP, has resigned following criticism of his recent visit to Northern Cyprus.

A government spokesperson confirmed, "Mr. Khan has left his position as Trade Envoy to the Republic of Turkey." In his resignation letter, Khan stated he was stepping down to avoid distracting from the government's trade efforts, describing his trip as private.

British media report that Khan did not seek approval before the visit and was photographed with Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar. The photograph sparked reactions from British Cypriots and British MPs.

MP Sir Roger Gale and Shadow Foreign Secretary Wendy Morton expressed concerns regarding the visit. Priti Patel also called for Khan's resignation.

Government sources indicated that pressure on the British Prime Minister made the resignation inevitable. The president of the National Federation of Cypriots in the UK, Mr. Christos Karaolis, called the visit "highly inappropriate and unacceptable."

Karaolis emphasized that Khan's actions undermined the UK's foreign policy on the Cyprus issue.