Indian-Origin UK MP Condemns Pahalgam Attack, Urges Support for Allies

UK Indian-origin Member of Parliament, Priti Patel, vigorously condemned the latest terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, that resulted in the killing of 26 people.

Condemning the attack as an outright "act of terrorism," Patel spoke at the UK Parliament on Thursday, calling on the British government to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with India and join forces against global terror attacks.

"Speaker, my condolences, prayers and thoughts are also with everyone who has been affected by this violent, murderous terrorism that has unfolded in Pahalgam. And I acknowledge that for India and the Indian communities here in the UK particularly, this has been an awful week. This was an act of terrorism and we must call it for exactly what it is. And it is part of a clear history of targeting civilians, tourists who come to the area and also minority groups," she added.

Patel underscored the historic strategic partnership between India and the UK, pointing to significant bilateral deals and cooperation in the security sector.

"We have a chain of security and counterterror cooperation with India dating back to the New Delhi Declaration in 2002 and the India-UK Strategic Partnership in 2016, the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2022, and the UK India 2030 road map agreed in the previous government. So, within that, security arrangements have been rock-solid, which is why we have to always be in step with our friends in India," said Patel.

During her speech, she urged the UK government to provide information regarding the attackers of the attack and any affiliations they are known to have.

"Does the government hold the LeT, the UK-proscribed terrorist organization, responsible, or does the government know whether there are any cross-border connections to Pakistan of the perpetrators of this terrorist outrage? We know the Prime Minister did telephone Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week, but has the UK given any particular assistance following this terror attack and made any practical actions to help our friends in India?" she asked.

Referring to the timing of the attack, Patel also asked if it was coincidental or if it had been planned deliberately during a high-profile US visit to India.

"Has the Government any opinion on whether this is coincidental or does it show a pattern of deliberate and targeted attacks?" she asked, citing the visit of US Vice President JD Vance and his family to India then.

She also raised red flags regarding the wider security implications, both abroad and in the UK, particularly in the context of potential terror group connections.

"Has the government made an evaluation of the interplay between groups that are instilling terror and destabilisation in Kashmir and those who are indulging in violence and terrorism that imperil our interests and global peace and security? Can the minister provide an update on the steps being taken to avert tensions from escalating to communities in the UK, including safeguards of the High Commission, which has already been referred to? And will the UK use its influence in de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan?" she added.

The assault, which occurred in Baisaran Valley—widely referred to as "Mini Switzerland" because of its picturesque scenery—involved several gunmen firing in an open, populated tourist zone. Among the 26 fatalities was a Nepalese citizen, with many others injured. Witnesses called it scenes of panic as they rushed for cover in a area with few areas of refuge.

In retaliation, India has taken stern countermeasures, such as suspending the historic Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan. Moreover, all Pakistani citizens living in India have been deported. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to see that the perpetrators, as well as their sympathizers, are "identified, tracked and punished."

Pakistan retaliated by closing its airspace to all Indian-operated flights, a step matched by India with a ban on Pakistani carriers.