A group of Non-Resident Indians based in London on Saturday came together outside the Pakistan High Commission to dissent the inhumane terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
Besides, the United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which condemned the deadly attack as “senseless and brutal act”, has warned British nationals to keep away tourist areas and from the border regions with Pakistan.
Earlier this week, a suicide bomber rammed vehicle loaded with explosive devices into a convoy carrying jawans, claiming the life of 40 Central Reserve Police Force and critically injuring five others.
“The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advise against all travel to the immediate vicinity of the border with Pakistan, other than at Wagah; Jammu and Kashmir, with the exception of (i) travel within the city of Jammu, (ii) travel by air to the city of Jammu, and (iii) travel within the region of Ladakh,” the updated advisory said.
“The tourist destinations of Pahalgam, Gulmarg and Sonamarg fall within the areas to which the FCO advise against all travel. The FCO advise against all but essential travel to the city of Srinagar and between the cities of Jammu and Srinagar on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway,” it noted.
The update from the travel sector came after the UK foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt been challenged on social media over his Twitter statement in reference to “India-administered Kashmir”, as he expressed solidarity with India over the attack.
“I hope that you will withdraw this phrase and demure from using it again in the future due to the connotations this seemingly innocuous phrase contains,” said veteran Indian-origin Opposition Labour Party MP Virendra Sharma in a letter addressed to the minister on Friday.
In the letter, he stressed that “Jammu and Kashmir have been an integral part of the Indian state” and that the minister’s use of the “deeply offensive phrase had upset Indians and British Indians.
The diplomatic mission in Belgravia, Central London, was spreaded with large groups waving Indian flag and holding posters that read “Vande Mataram” and “Declare Pakistan a Terrorist State”, also chants such as “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”, “Kashmir Hamara Hai” and “Pakistan Murdabad”.
-Sowmya Sangam
