- High commission says Oxford Union left “considerably embarrassed”.
- Statement claims India lacked confidence to face student scrutiny.
- Pakistan says it remains committed to open, reasoned dialogue.
LONDON: The Pakistan High Commission in London has said an Indian delegation due to take part in an Oxford Union debate on India’s policy towards Pakistan pulled out at the last minute, effectively handing a “walkover” to the Pakistani side.
The debate, organised by Oxford Union MT25 president Moosa Harraj, was scheduled for November 27 on the motion: “This House Believes India’s Policy Towards Pakistan is a Populist Strategy Sold as Security Policy.”
According to Pakistan High Commission London, the event had been in preparation for several months, with formal invitations issued by the Union in June 2025 and confirmations received from both teams.
The Pakistani line-up comprised former chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General (retd) Zubair Mahmood Hayat, former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar and Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dr Mohammad Faisal.
The Indian side was to include former army chief General (retd) MM Naravane, former law minister and academic Dr Subramanian Swamy and former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot.
The statement said the Pakistani speakers had already arrived in London and were due to travel to Oxford when, earlier on Thursday, the Oxford Union informed organisers that all three Indian speakers had decided to withdraw, without offering any substantive explanation for their inability to attend.
The high commission said the abrupt pull-out caused “considerable embarrassment” for the Oxford Union, which it described as one of the world’s leading debating societies, and “deprived its members of a rare opportunity” to hear both sides on the motion.
It noted that Indian members of the Union significantly outnumber Pakistani members, yet the Indian side had chosen not to submit its policies to scrutiny and a student vote.
According to the statement, the decision reflected “a lack of confidence” in defending India’s policy towards Pakistan in an open forum. It contrasted the withdrawal with what it called “aggressive rhetoric” by Indian officials and commentators in partisan media, saying they were unwilling to test those claims in a neutral setting.
The high commission said Pakistan remained committed to reasoned dialogue, responsible statecraft and peaceful dispute resolution, and that its delegation had come prepared to argue its case on the basis of facts, international law and regional stability.
It termed the cancellation a “missed opportunity” that, in its view, raised further questions about India’s willingness to engage in good faith.
The statement thanked the Oxford Union and its student leadership for their efforts and said Pakistan stood ready to participate in future events that promote informed, respectful and substantive discussion on South Asian peace and security.
