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The Pakistan High Commission in London regrets to announce
that the Indian delegation scheduled to participate in a high profile debate at
the Oxford Union on 27 November 2025 has withdrawn at the last minute,
effectively handing a walkover to the Pakistani side.
The parliamentary style debate was to be held on the motion,
“This House Believes That India’s Policy Towards Pakistan Is a Populist
Strategy Sold as Security Policy”. The event had been in preparation for
several months, with formal invitations issued by the Oxford Union in June 2025
and confirmations received from both sides.
On the Pakistan side, the confirmed speakers were:
▪ General (Retd) Zubair Mahmood Hayat, former Chairman Joint
Chiefs of Staff Committee
▪ Ms Hina Rabbani Khar, former Foreign Minister of Pakistan
▪ Dr Mohammad Faisal, High Commissioner of Pakistan to the
United Kingdom
The Indian side had confirmed the participation of:
▪ General M. M. Naravane, former Chief of Army Staff
▪ Dr Subramanian Swamy, former Law Minister and academic
▪ Mr Sachin Pilot, former Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan
The Pakistani speakers had already arrived in London and
were scheduled to proceed to Oxford today. Earlier this morning, however, the
Oxford Union informed the organizers that all three Indian speakers had decided
to pull out, offering no substantive explanation for their inability to attend
a debate they had previously confirmed.
This sudden withdrawal has caused considerable embarrassment
for the Oxford Union, one of the world’s leading debating societies, and has
deprived its members of a rare opportunity to hear a structured, fact based
exchange on a critical regional issue. It is particularly noteworthy that
Indian members of the Union significantly outnumber Pakistani members. Yet even
in what could reasonably be described as a friendly environment, the Indian
side chose not to submit its policies to open scrutiny and a student vote.
The Pakistan High Commission believes that this last minute
decision reflects a lack of confidence on the part of the Indian delegation in
defending India’s Pakistan policy in an open, rules based forum. While Indian
officials and commentators routinely engage in aggressive rhetoric through
partisan media platforms, their representatives were unwilling to test those
claims in a neutral and intellectually rigorous debate.
Pakistan remains committed to reasoned dialogue, responsible
statecraft and peaceful dispute resolution. Pakistan’s delegation came prepared
to argue its case on the strength of facts, international law and regional
stability considerations. The unilateral withdrawal of the Indian delegation
has transformed what should have been a serious exchange of ideas into a missed
opportunity that raises further questions about India’s willingness to engage in
good faith.
The Pakistan High Commission appreciates the efforts of the
Oxford Union and its student leadership, and stands ready to participate in any
future event that promotes informed, respectful and substantive dialogue on
South Asian peace and security.
The Pakistani delegation had been looking forward to engage
in a civilized, reasoned discussion with an Indian side that was its equal in
stature and profile. Sadly, India’s decision to withdraw its listed speakers at
the last minute has ensured that this was no longer possible.