UK assures legal review following Pakistan’s protest over remarks at Bradford rally

Pakistan summoned the acting high commissioner of the United Kingdom on Friday to formally protest remarks made during a protest outside the Pakistani Consulate in Bradford. The protest, which allegedly targeted Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership with hostile and inflammatory language, has raised serious diplomatic concerns.

In response, the UK acting high commissioner assured Pakistani authorities that the matter would be communicated to relevant officials in London and confirmed a legal review of the incident. The UK reiterated its commitment to safeguarding diplomatic missions in line with its international obligations.

Condemnation of hatred and hostile rhetoric

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad condemned the use of UK territory for activities that, according to Pakistani officials, incite hatred, undermine Pakistan’s sovereignty, and jeopardize the safety and dignity of its diplomatic missions and personnel abroad.

Pakistan called on British authorities to fully investigate the incident, ensure accountability, and take appropriate legal action against those responsible. Islamabad also emphasized that the right to freedom of expression should not be used to promote violence, extremism, or hate speech, particularly against a friendly nation and its state institutions.

The protest in Bradford reportedly involved inflammatory slogans and speeches targeting Pakistan’s leadership, further escalating concerns in Islamabad over the misuse of public space to propagate hostile rhetoric.

The Foreign Office also reminded the UK of its obligations under international law, particularly the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, to ensure the protection of foreign diplomatic premises.

Pakistan emphasized that, despite the incident, both countries share a long history of diplomatic cooperation across areas like trade, security, education, and people-to-people exchanges. While reaffirming its commitment to maintaining positive bilateral ties, Pakistan stressed that hosting anti-Pakistan activities on foreign soil is unacceptable.

UK response

A spokesperson for the British High Commission clarified that UK police and prosecutors act independently from the government.

The spokesperson added that if any foreign government believes a crime has occurred, it should provide relevant evidence to the UK police liaison. Any material that appears to violate UK law will be reviewed by law enforcement, potentially leading to a criminal investigation.