ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan summoned the United Kingdom’s high commissioner on Friday and launched an official demarche following “provocative” statements made during a protest outside the Pakistani consulate in Bradford, where remarks targeting the country’s civilian and military leadership were broadcast.
Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi confirmed that the British envoy had been called and formally raised Pakistan’s concerns.
“This move was initiated after provocative statements were made from British soil against the civil and military rulers of Pakistan,” he said, adding that Islamabad had urged the British authorities to “hold accountable the responsible elements in accordance with the law”.
However, in response to Pakistan’s protests over alleged threats made against senior military leaders during the protest, the British High Commission has asked the Pakistani government to provide concrete evidence of any criminal offenses committed on British soil.
The British High Commission has informed Islamabad that policing and prosecutions in the United Kingdom operate independently of the government. He clarified that if a foreign government believes that a crime has been committed on British territory, it must submit all relevant evidence through the designated police liaison officer in the United Kingdom.
A spokesperson for the British High Commission said any documents found to contravene British law would be assessed by police and, on this basis, criminal investigations could be opened if justified.
The spokesperson said the UK followed established legal procedures and due process, and law enforcement authorities would review any evidence provided to determine whether it met the threshold for action under UK law.
Pertinently, FO’s move follows public statements by two state ministers from the ruling PML-N, who said Pakistan had formally written to the British authorities seeking action following “inciting” remarks, including in reference to a video circulating on social media.
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry and Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani confirmed the development in separate media interactions, with Kayani saying “the armed forces chief was threatened” in the video. While Kayani named the opposition PTI in connection with the incident, Chaudhry did not.
The video shows a woman, surrounded by individuals holding PTI flags, making remarks wishing harm to an unnamed individual, including saying that they should “blow up in a car.”
Responding to questions on the issue, Chaudhry said: “Pakistan has officially written to the UK, hoping that it will act in accordance with its laws and justice system.”
He argued that Pakistan had the right to take legal action against those who “target its institutions”.
He recalled that similar concerns had been raised in the past regarding “the use of social media platforms to incite hatred against state institutions and political figures”, adding that “footage of the incident is available”.
“This is not a political issue, nor is it a free speech issue,” he said, calling it a blatant violation of international law and British law, specifically citing the UK’s Terrorism Act 2006.
“Each state is responsible for ensuring that its citizens, or those who have requested asylum, or those residing there, do not act to incite rebellion or violence against other sovereign states,” he stressed.
“What is concerning is the specific mention of a car bombing, which makes it a targeted issue; it’s not something widespread, it appears to be carefully planned.”
“It appears to be a larger plan, and Pakistan has raised concerns,” he added. “Inciting terrorism or provoking the population does not amount to freedom of expression.”
“You cannot let people in one state promote terrorism against another sovereign state,” he said, expressing hope that the British government would act, while warning that “Pakistan also has other options” in case of non-compliance.
State Minister for Finance Kayani said the incident shown in the video was “unacceptable” and “unfortunate”, accusing the PTI of spreading violence and threats “under the guise of politics”.
“We have repeatedly said that the PTI is propagating violence and threats under the guise of politics, justifying threats and abusing freedom of expression,” he said, adding that the party had “crossed a line” by “threatening the armed forces chief with murder under the guise of political protest”.
“It’s not politics[..] this is unacceptable,” Kayani said, calling the PTI a “threat to national security” and alleging that it had consistently used politics to cover up “violence.”
“Whether it was May 9, using KP police to attack soldiers and threatening the army chief [ ] If this is not a threat to national security, what is?,” he said.
Asked if further action was being considered, Kayani said: “Firstly, we will urge the UK government to immediately take legal action and investigate the matter”, adding that the government remained open to “exploring other legal options”.
