Afghanistan

Lord Gadhia Excerpts

Wednesday 18th August 2021 Lords Chamber

[Lord Gadhia (Non-Afl)]

My Lords, as we seek to make sense of the unfolding tragedy in Afghanistan, the waning political courage and leadership from successive US Administrations is now clear. This has been compounded by strategic miscalculations and amplified by tactical errors, especially in implementing the withdrawal of US troops. Our experience during the pandemic has demonstrated that policy driven by dates, not data, is highly susceptible to unravelling. It has created a self-fulfilling prophecy for the Taliban to seize control.

The UK is, regrettably, a policy-taker rather than a policy-maker in this situation, but we cannot absolve ourselves of responsibility and we must face the immediate consequences. There are three obvious priorities. The first and most pressing issue is rescue. For someone who comes from a community of refugees, the Ugandan Asians, who were forced to flee their country overnight, the scenes from Afghanistan are especially harrowing. They spark uncomfortable flashbacks to events 49 years ago this month that led to the evacuation of nearly 60,000 people, about half of whom took refuge in this country. In 1972, the then Prime Minister, Edward Heath, fulfilled the UK’s moral and legal responsibility. We must do so again. I agree with the Foreign Secretary that we are a big-hearted nation, and the bespoke asylum scheme is welcome. We must keep the criteria under review but, above all, execute it with urgency and do so without artificial caps, securing safe passage for evacuation. Every minute and every hour is crucial in saving lives.

The second consequence is dealing with Taliban 2.0, which is now far better funded and organised and increasingly media-savvy. The ink is barely dry on the UK’s integrated review, which promised deeper engagement in the Indo-Pacific. This is the first big test of global Britain, especially of our ability to negotiate shifting power balances.

That leads neatly to the third concern—namely, elevated instability across the region. An estimated 30,000 mercenaries have been trained. No longer required to capture Kabul, they are ready to be deployed elsewhere. Countries such as India and Bangladesh are bracing themselves. Even Pakistan is not immune from the forces of destabilisation and an influx of refugees.

South Asia’s population of nearly 2 billion people has enough challenges in managing the pandemic, accelerating vaccination and spurring economic recovery. The last thing the region needs is the turmoil associated with regime change and the intensified export of terror. We clearly need to work with allies and partners to pre-empt this serious risk.

In conclusion, the message that I hope goes out from Parliament today is not one of despondency or impotence but of resolve, offering hope to those most affected. We may have lost this battle in Afghanistan, but the pursuit of freedom and democracy is a constant war for hearts and minds that we have not abandoned and never will.

His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

Lord Gadhia Excerpts

Monday 12th April 2021 Lords Chamber

[Lord Gadhia (Non-Afl) [V]]

My Lords, in contributing to today’s debate on the humble Address, I should like to give voice to the sentiments of the British Indian and wider British Asian community, who share fully in this moment of national loss, and in giving thanks for a life of extraordinary public service.

The many moving tributes paid to Prince Philip have highlighted two recurring themes. The first is his impeccable track record of service and duty in supporting the Queen, representing our nation and promoting the work of countless charities, especially the prolific Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme. In the Indian community, these attributes are easily recognisable as seva and dharma, which are among the noblest of virtues for Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists—faiths which share a common Vedic heritage. Since Friday, many of these communities in the UK have held their own special prayers in memory of Prince Philip. This reflects not only the affection in which the Prince and Her Majesty are held but the progress we are making towards a more cohesive society, comfortable in expressing both our individuality and our shared values.

The second recurring theme is Prince Philip’s unique wit and wisdom. His wry sense of humour and quips helped break down barriers with those he met during his public duties. Although sometimes viewed as lacking tact or diplomacy, he certainly did not lack authenticity. Whenever I had the honour of interacting with Prince Philip or seeing him at close proximity, I was always struck by the twinkle in his eyes. He had a star quality that could rival that of any Bollywood actor; indeed, his four trips to India, three of them with Her Majesty, drew large crowds as well as, inevitably, the odd controversy.

The pivotal role played by Lord Mountbatten in mentoring Prince Philip doubled up by sensitising him to the complexity and importance of the Indian subcontinent, a region representing the largest of the 53 Commonwealth countries and, collectively, almost 70% of their population. This leads neatly to my final observation. The aspect which many among the British Asian diaspora find most intriguing is the Duke’s personal background as a refugee Prince. He was an outsider, came to this country with very little and was a self-made young man before marrying into the House of Windsor. These are circumstances which many migrant communities can relate to, as indeed they can to the charms and challenges of living in an extended family.

This background may well have explained why Prince Philip was so keen to reach out to other faith communities. His pioneering work on interfaith dialogue—and linking this with topics such as business ethics or protection of the natural environment—is one of his most important legacies. Among many notable interactions are the presentation of the Jain Declaration on Nature in 1990, the visit to BAPS Neasden Temple in 1996 and the trip to the Golden Temple in Amritsar in 1997, all of which have been remembered in recent days.

Across the UK and the Commonwealth, we should all be grateful for the Duke of Edinburgh’s long and distinguished life of public service. It is doubtful we will see his like again. As the history of the second Elizabethan age is written, the role of Prince Philip will feature prominently, not only in supporting the monarch and representing his country but in reaching out to every section of society and embracing the wider Commonwealth family of nations.