UK calls for India-Pakistan talks as tensions rise over Kashmir

THE government continues to encourage India and Pakistan to engage in meaningful dialogue and avoid actions that could further inflame tensions, a British minister has told the House of Lords.

During a short debate in the Grand Committee of the Upper House of the UK Parliament entitled 'India and Pakistan: Peace Representations' on Thursday (17), cross-party peers focused on the prospects of "lasting peace" in the region following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22 that claimed 26 lives.

While some peers of Pakistani heritage called for international mediation, British Indian parliamentarians highlighted prime minister Narendra Modi's assertion during Operation Sindoor regarding the strong evidence of state-sponsored terrorism emanating from Pakistan.

"On the matter of Kashmir, the UK's position remains unchanged. We regard the status of Kashmir as a bilateral issue to be resolved between India and Pakistan, taking into account the wishes of the Kashmiri people," said Foreign Office minister Baroness Jennifer Chapman, presenting the British government's stance.

"We do not prescribe solutions, nor do we seek to mediate. However, we continue to encourage both sides to engage in meaningful dialogue and avoid actions that could further inflame tensions. We are acutely aware of the sensitivities surrounding this issue, and our goal is to support a peaceful and lasting resolution that respects the rights and aspirations of all communities," she added.

The minister said the UK would continue to use diplomatic channels to encourage dialogue, promote cooperation, and support efforts to address the underlying causes of conflict. "We believe that a peaceful and prosperous future for the region is possible."

Lord Karan Bilimoria, co-chair of the India All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), highlighted the recent UK visit of a multi-party delegation of Indian MPs led by BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad to establish New Delhi's commitment to peace in the region.

"India wants peace with its neighbours. It wants to get on with growing its economy, bettering the livelihood of its people, and making a huge, positive contribution to the global community," said Bilimoria.

Baroness Sandip Verma asserted that the "ultimate goal" should be to ensure peace in the region because any conflict also impacts diaspora communities in the UK.

"The largest democracy on the planet is now understanding its responsibility, and we need to make sure, in the way we work with both countries, that Pakistan, too, becomes a thriving democracy," she said.

The debate had been secured by British Pakistani Liberal Democrat peer Lord Qurban Hussain, who condemned the "cowardly act of terror" in Pahalgam.

Hussain said that third-party mediation was the only way to get the leadership of both countries to sit down and agree on a settlement. This view was echoed by Lord Tariq Ahmad.

Minister Chapman reiterated the UK's long-standing stance against mediation, asserting that the UK had made "clear representations to both New Delhi and Islamabad at all levels".

(PTI)