London: A highly undiplomatic gesture by a diplomat at the Pakistan High Commission in London has left Indians across the world outraged, with many calling for action against him by authorities in the UK.
About 500 people of Indian-origin had gathered outside the Pakistan High Commission on Friday to protest the gruesome massacre of 26 people, mostly tourists, by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on Tuesday. They were carrying Indian flags and holding aloft banners and placards, demanding justice for the victims.
There were counter-protesters from the Pakistani expatriate community as well. They were playing patriotic songs on loudspeakers and shouting pro-patriotic slogans.
All of this was captured on video.
Suddenly, a man in a business suit – identified as Colonel Taimur Rahat – Pakistan’s Army and Air Force Adviser in the high commission in London, is seen making a throat-slit gesture at the pro-Indian protesters from the balcony of the consulate.
Those who participated in the event said that they were shocked at such behaviour by a diplomat. “We had gathered there to protest the gruesome killings. Many of us were so badly affected after the killings that we couldn’t sleep for the next few nights. Such protests do take place outside consulates and embassies. We haven’t heard of any diplomat from any other country behaving in this manner,” a protester said.
The killings have led to a major diplomatic row between India and Pakistan. Immediately after the terror strike, India downgraded Pakistan’s diplomatic status and ordered all citizens of that country to leave within a certain deadline. India also withheld the Indus Waters Sharing Treaty. In retaliation, Pakistan cancelled the Simla Agreement and banned the use of its airspace to Indian civilian carriers.
India has also released sketches of three terrorists involved in Tuesday’s attack. Two of them have been identified as Pakistanis and the third as a Kashmiri, trained in Pakistan.
S P Vaid, former DGP, Jammu and Kashmir, lashed out at Pakistan for this gesture. “All these Pakistanis, ……. Whether in the embassies or elsewhere ……. are Madrasah products and children of Zia-ul-Haq. They know nothing except throat-slitting. London police must take action, and strict measures must be taken,” he said.
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