Conflict with India: Gilani praises Britain’s behind-the-scenes diplomacy

ISLAMABAD: Senate Chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani took centre stage on Thursday in a high-stakes diplomatic sit-down with British High Commissioner Jane Marriott – pitching Pakistan as a peace-driven, climate-hit, and investment-hungry nation eager to deepen relations with the UK.

Calling himself “a man of peace,” Gilani praised Britain’s behind-the-scenes diplomacy for easing tensions between nuclear neighbours Pakistan and India during the recent four-day clash between the two archrivals.

With Marriott nodding along, Gilani pressed the UK to double down on its counter-terror cooperation and back efforts to stamp out extremism and cross-border threats – code for trouble brewing from across the Indian border.

Gilani didnot mince words, once again calling for a UN-backed peaceful resolution to the decades-old flashpoint of Kashmir dispute, while urging London to use its diplomatic muscle.

Gilani also flashed Pakistan’s humanitarian credentials, reminding the world Pakistan has hosted more than three million Afghan refugees over the years – and is still footing the bill.

He pleaded for global help in fixing what he called a simmering refugee crisis.

On the green front, Gilani sounded the climate alarm. With Pakistan battered by floods, droughts, and rising temperatures, he pitched partnerships with Britain on everything from clean energy to disaster response.

On trade, Gilani said that the £4.1 billion in annual volume barely scratches the surface of what Pakistan and the UK could achieve, urging both sides to unlock the “untapped goldmine” of economic potential.

He called for fresh trade deals, a surge in UK investment, and faster, friendlier student and work visas, saying it is time to supercharge academic links and crank up economic engines on both sides.

Cybersecurity, defence, intelligence, training – Gilani put them all on the table during his meeting with Marriott, sketching out what he dubbed a “dynamic and forward-looking” UK-Pakistan partnership.

Marriott, for her part, gave a diplomatic thumbs-up, praising the “constructive dialogue” and pledging Britain’s full-throttle support for a safer, greener, and more prosperous Pakistan.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025