Pakistan voices concern over 'racist and Islamophobic' slurs in UK

ISLAMABAD: The Spokesperson of Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday noted with deep concern the increasingly racist and Islamophobic political and media commentary in the United Kingdom that was aimed at conflating the reprehensible actions of a few individuals with the entire 1.7 million British Pakistani diaspora.

In response to media queries regarding the recent spate of xenophobic remarks directed towards the Pakistani community in the UK, the Spokesperson said, “Pakistan-UK friendship is characterized by warmth, cordiality, robust cooperation and trust. Nurtured over decades this relationship remains an important priority of Pakistan’s foreign policy.

The deep and multifaceted relations cover important areas including trade and investment, education, security, counter-terrorism, parliamentary cooperation and people-to-people contacts. The presence of 1.7 million strong British-Pakistani diaspora provides the strongest link between the two friendly countries.”

She said British nationals of Pakistani origin have a rich history of contributing to the United Kingdom’s growth, development and, indeed, freedom. An exceptionally large number of predominantly Muslim soldiers from what is now Pakistan served in the British Indian army and laid down their lives for the cause of democracy in both World Wars.

“British Pakistanis today form the backbone of the UK’s health, retail and services sectors. Many British Pakistanis hold high public office, and thousands serve their communities as Members of Parliament, mayors, councillors, and as members of local police and municipal services.

British Pakistanis have excelled in sports and arts. Their cuisine and music enriches British culture,” she said adding, “To demonize such a large and diverse community on the basis of the actions of a few individuals needs to be condemned.”