In a bizarre outburst of belligerence, Pakistan’s United Kingdom army attaché provoked fury among the Indian community following his throat-slit gesture to demonstrators. The gesture, widely decried, underlines the underlying animosities between the two countries.
The row began when a delegation of Indian community members marched to protest outside the Pakistani High Commission in London. The protesters were expressing their opposition to several issues, ranging from alleged human rights violations and terrorism-related issues. In the middle of the protests, Pakistan’s army attaché made the provocative gesture, which was filmed and immediately went viral on social media.
The gesture of throat-slit, most commonly known to signify threat or aggression, triggered an outburst of condemnation in the Indian diaspora and overseas. Social media witnessed many residents condemn the behavior, with calls from some sections of the Indian diaspora seeking the recall of the attaché or punishment for the attaché.
The incident has also led to questioning of the role of diplomats in developing positive relations between countries and the extent of diplomatic immunity. With India-Pakistan tensions already simmering, such an incident can fuel already existing prejudices and impede bilateral understanding.
The British government has also come under pressure to react, with calls for them to react forcefully to the incident and uphold diplomatic protocols. The incident reminds us of the difficulties of working with international relations, especially between countries with a nuanced past.
Amidst this diplomatic furore, only time will tell how events will play out and whether or not the two countries can somehow manage to defuse tensions. One thing is for sure, however – the Pakistani army attaché’s actions have stirred a great deal of controversy, and the fallout will be felt for some time to come.