Asian Leaders call for calm over India/Pakistan Tension
(29th May 2002)

Home Secretary David Blunkett and leaders of British South Asian communities met today to discuss the effect on community relations in the UK of current tension between India and Pakistan.

They called on British South Asian communities to remain calm and urged the Governments of India and Pakistan to respond to diplomatic pressure to desist from war.

The meeting concluded that:

"Everyone in the UK has a duty to ensure that current tensions between India and Pakistan do not upset the normal good community relations between British South Asian communities. We call upon all community leaders to take action to calm tensions and urge restraint in, and between, their communities whatever their links with India or Pakistan."

Those who attended the meeting were -

• Councillor Afzal Khan, Chairman, NW Pakistan Kashmiri Councillors Forum.
• Bimal Krishna das, Secretary of the National Council of Hindu Temples (UK).
• Mohan Singh Nayyar, Secretary, Network of Sikh Organisations UK
• Iqbal Sacranie, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain
• Om Parkash Sharma, MBE, National Council of Hindu Temples (UK)
• Indarjit Singh OBE, Director of the Network of Sikh Organisations UK and
  General Secretary of the Sikh Council for Interfaith Relations UK
• Tanzim Wasti, Muslim Solidarity Commitee

Diplomatic representation in Pakistan withdrawn

On May 22nd 2002, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said, 'The security threat to British interests in Pakistan has led me to take the difficult decision to reduce the level of HMG's diplomatic representation there. We will begin reducing the number of staff and dependants in Pakistan with immediate effect.

'We are now advising against all but essential travel to Pakistan, and then only where there is a compelling reason, and where security is assured. We are also advising British nationals in Pakistan to consider leaving. We will do all we can to continue to offer a full consular service for British nationals who need our assistance, and we are briefing UK nationals based in Pakistan through our warden network.

Visa Services reduced

'Visa services will inevitably be reduced. We will be able to offer only a strictly limited visa service for the whole of Pakistan from our High Commission in Islamabad, for settlement, returning residents and urgent compassionate and medical cases only. For the immediate future we will not be able to process any visitor applications. However, UKvisas are urgently examining the options for providing a limited service for family visitors and other categories of applicant. This will take a little time to implement. But we will make an announcement as soon as possible.'

Jack Straw speaks to Indian External Affairs Minister

Earlier on May 18th 2002, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw had spoken to the Indian External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh to discuss the situation between India and Pakistan following the terrorist attacks in Kashmir. He reiterated his condemnation of all forms of terrorism. The Foreign Secretary underlined that the UK would continue to work with the US and other international partners to help reduce tension between India and Pakistan and to support a return to productive dialogue between the two countries.

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