E-Paper
UK to respond to petition on Pak support to terror
Britain is expected to make a statement on Monday after a petition on a government website urged the Theresa May government to “strongly condemn” Pakistan for providing safe haven for terrorists clocked over 10,000 signatures by Sunday afternoon.
Britain is expected to make a statement on Monday after a petition on a government website that urged it to “strongly condemn” Pakistan for providing safe haven for terrorists received over 10,000 signatures by Sunday afternoon.
As per rules, the government responds with a statement to a petition signed by 10,000 people. If a petition enlists 100,000 signatures, it is considered for debate in parliament.
So far the Theresa May government has reacted to the Indian strikes through a brief statement to Hindustan Times on Thursday: “We are monitoring the situation closely following reports of strikes carried out by the Indian Army over the Line of Control in Kashmir. We call on both sides to exercise restraint and to open dialogue.”
The petition launched by one Naman Paropkari in the backdrop of the Uri terror attack and Indian ‘surgical strikes’ says: “Pakistan continues to double-speak on issue of terrorism. It has aided & abetted enemies of the international coalition (of which Britain is a leading partner with the US) against terrorism”.
“Osama Bin Laden's hideout was in Pakistan. Pakistan continues to harbour UN sanctioned terror networks”, it says, adding, “the Inter-Services Intelligence has often been accused of playing a role in major terrorist attacks across the world including the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States, terrorism in Kashmir, Indian Parliament attack and Mumbai terror attacks.”
“It has been noted by many that several militant & criminal groups are backed by senior officers in the Pakistani army & the country's ISI intelligence establishment”, says the petition.
The map of signatories to the petition indicates that it has been signed by people across Britain, but mostly from areas with concentration of people of Indian origin, such as the London areas of Harrow, Brent and Isleworth.
