Pakistan voices concern over recent ‘Islamophobic’ remarks against British-Pakistanis in UK

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Office on Monday expressed “deep concern” over a recent spate of “Islamophobic” remarks directed toward the Pakistani community in the United Kingdom (UK), saying they were aimed at “conflating” reprehensible actions of a few individuals with the entire 1.7 million British-Pakistani diaspora.
The development comes amid a debate around grooming gangs in the UK after British Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips rejected Oldham Council’s request for a government-led inquiry into a historical child sexual abuse scandal in the town in favor of a local investigation. The grooming scandal, which came to light in the 2010s, involved the systematic abuse of thousands of girls in towns such as Rotherham, Rochdale and Oldham. A 2014 report estimated that 1,400 children were exploited in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013, primarily by men of Pakistani origin.
Indian nationalist lawmaker Priyanka Chaturvedi this month sparked the controversy by stating that the blame for grooming gangs in the UK should not be attributed to Asia as a whole, but rather to one “rogue nation.” Tech billionaire Elon Musk also endorsed the anti-Pakistan narrative on X and criticized British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for rejecting calls for a new national inquiry and instead advocating the implementation of recommendations of an earlier seven-year inquiry.
In its response to media queries about the controversy, the Pakistani Foreign Office said British nationals of Pakistani origin had a rich history of contributing to the UK’s growth, development and, indeed, freedom, with an “exceptionally large” number of predominantly Muslim soldiers from what is now Pakistan serving in the British Indian army and laying down their lives in both World Wars.
“We note with deep concern the increasingly racist and Islamophobic political and media commentary in the UK that is aimed at conflating the reprehensible actions of a few individuals with the entire 1.7 million British Pakistani diaspora,” it said in a statement.
The Foreign Office said that the Pakistan-UK friendship is characterized by warmth, cordiality, robust cooperation and trust, noting that British-Pakistanis formed 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,” it said.
“To demonize such a large and diverse community on the basis of the actions of a few individuals needs to be condemned.”
It said the multifaceted Pakistan-UK relations cover important areas, including trade and investment, education, security and counter-terrorism, and the presence of 1.7 million strong British-Pakistani diaspora provides the strongest link between the two friendly countries.