Soon after the House of Commons tabled an urgent question on the rising tensions in the region following the terrorist attack in Kashmir, House of Lords peers debated the issue and appealed for de-escalation between India and Pakistan.
Cross-party peers reiterated concerns voiced by members of Parliament last week over the strain on community relations in the UK as diaspora groups from both countries have been gathering for fiery protests and counter-protests.
Lord Collins, speaking for the UK government as minister in the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), said: “We encourage all parties to take a measured approach… The United Kingdom, of course, supported the UN Security Council press statement at the weekend, which condemned the attack and reaffirmed that acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable.
“On all actions that create or escalate the unsettling of communities in this country, we are working with all British Pakistani and British Indian communities to ensure that we stand with them at this difficult time on de-escalation and on building strong community cohesion.
“We look to all community and faith leaders to spread the message that now is a time for coming together across religious and ethnic differences.”
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Conservative Party peer Baroness Sandy Verma raised the scenes of a Pakistani diplomat’s “throat-slitting gesture towards Indian demonstrators” outside the country’s high commission in London.
Baroness Verma, who hails from Leicester, said: “It would be useful for the UK to send a very clear signal that inciting violence by gestures is not acceptable. We would like to know what the UK government will do.
“In cities such as mine, people across all communities have come together to condemn the atrocities witnessed last week.”
The minister responded to say the government condemns any instances of vandalism and called for protesters to protest in a peaceful and law-abiding way.
“We urge all to de-escalate the situation. We will communicate that at all levels, diplomatically and with local community leaders,” Lord Collins said.
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Lord Krish Raval asked the minister to expand on what “standing shoulder to shoulder with India” would look like following the attacks in Pahalgam on April 22, which claimed 26 lives.
“We are going to work with all international and regional partners to ensure that we try to de-escalate and create the conditions where there can be dialogue, which is not taking place at the moment,” the minister stated.