UK urges India and Pakistan to de-escalate situation, saying it is 'incredibly dangerous'

LONDON: The UK govt is urging India and Pakistan to de-escalate and return to dialogue whilst one Tory peer is calling on Britain to “directly intervene”.

British foreign minister Lord Collins of Highbury said during a debate on the Pahalgam terror attack in the House of Lords on Wednesday that the situation between the two nuclear powers is “incredibly dangerous”.

He said it requires all allies to come together to “ensure that we de-escalate”. “We are going to work with all international and regional partners to ensure that we create the conditions where there can be dialogue, which is not taking place at the moment,” Collins said.

Tory peer Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, former South Asia minister, called for “direct intervention” by the UK govt. “What is needed is direct intervention. The UK has a unique role to play. I propose that a special emissary is appointed right now to go to the region to speak to both countries on behalf of our prime minister to ensure not just de-escalation but that vital, discreet dialogue is sustained, maintained and strengthened between the UK and both countries to ensure that escalation does not happen. What happens in that part of the world will not stay in that part of the world,” he warned.

Face-offs between Indian-origin and Pakistani-origin protesters have already led to arrests and damage to diplomatic buildings.

Conservative peer Lord Callanan raised the “extremely concerning video” that shows a Pakistani diplomat making a throat-slitting gesture towards Indian demonstrators outside the Pakistan high commission. “This sort of threatening action is completely unacceptable on the streets of London, particularly from what appears to be an accredited diplomat. What actions are the govt going to take against this individual,” he asked.

Tory peer Baroness Verma added: “It would be useful for the UK to send a very clear signal that inciting violence by gestures is not acceptable.”

Collins said: “We urge all to de-escalate the situation. We will communicate that at all levels, diplomatically and with local community leaders. We condemn any instance of vandalism and call for any protesters to protest in a peaceful and law-abiding way.”