Starmer calls for calm amid ‘rising tensions’ between India and Pakistan

Sir Keir Starmer called for India and Pakistan to take steps to ease the “rising tensions” following exchanges of fire in Kashmir.

The Prime Minister said the UK was encouraging “dialogue, de-escalation and the protection of civilians”.

Pakistan has described Delhi’s missile attacks as an “act of war” and responded with shelling on the Indian side of the line of control.

At least 26 people, including a child, are reported to have died in the missile strikes which came in retaliation to last month’s massacre of tourists in the Indian part of Kashmir.

Pakistan responded with shelling – killing seven civilians according to Indian police and medics – and claimed to have shot down Indian fighter jets.

Tensions

At Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir said: “Rising tensions between India and Pakistan will be of serious concern for many across Britain.

“We are engaging urgently with both countries as well as other international partners, encouraging dialogue, de-escalation and the protection of civilians.”

The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for the region, warning against all travel within 10 kilometres of the India-Pakistan border and 10 miles of the line of control, the de facto border that divides disputed Kashmir.

Meanwhile, former prime minister Rishi Sunak backed India’s right to retaliate after the terrorist attack.

He said: “No nation should have to accept terrorist attacks being launched against it from land controlled by another country.

“India is justified in striking terrorist infrastructure. There can be no impunity for terrorists.”

Wisdom

Reacting to the increasing tension in the region, Welsh-Kashmiri MS Dr Altaf Hussain said: “Wisdom must prevail, nobody wants war. Not least civilians, people who will, like everyone else, need normal conditions. Kashmir needs sustainable solutions over short-sighted aggressive attacks.

“It’s important parties involved in this trauma de-escalate tensions through intra-governmental dialogue preserving peace as a higher order objective, achieving an environment of mutual respect that these more moderate voices prevail over echoes of cruel conflict”.

He added: “It’s important political progress can determine self-governance – not through threats, but by consent. In dark times, people naturally gravitate to their leaders. It’s imperative that they come together to achieve a lasting, and harmonious resolution.

The escalation in the conflict between the two nuclear-armed powers follows last month’s massacre, which New Delhi has blamed Pakistan for.

Islamabad has denied responsibility for the attack by armed militants near Pahalgam.