India and Pakistan: Peace Representations

Lord Purvis of Tweed Excerpts

Thursday 17th July 2025 Grand Committee

[Lord Purvis of Tweed (LD)]

My Lords, I commend my noble friend Lord Hussain on securing this short but significant debate. I have been struck by the expertise and knowledge of all those who have contributed so far; I most certainly will not be able to do the debate justice in the few moments I have to speak for my party.

As a result of the reprehensible terrorist attacks that took place, for which there should be no impunity, we saw the most intense use of violence in more than 50 years between two nations that are friendly to the United Kingdom and have populations of more than 1.25 billion. As my noble friend Lord Hussain said, it was the first time that the two countries had engaged in drone warfare.

However, as my noble friend Lord Mohammed said, there is also concern over the 65 year-old Indus Waters Treaty and the consequences that that may bring—and not just because of the potential, as the noble Baroness, Lady Gohir, said, for wider humanitarian catastrophe. There are other areas of the world where we see the potential for conflict over water. I have made many visits to the Nile area, and I agree with my noble friend that we should be extremely cautious when we see breakdowns of dialogue and diplomacy when it comes to sources of water and irrigation. The ramifications are wider, which is why the breakdown of the India-Pakistan Indus commission is also a significant worry—especially given the fragility in the area, which is, as we have just heard, being exacerbated by climate change.

All bilateral treaties between the two nations are now vulnerable but I hope that the degree of stability since might be the basis, as we have heard in this debate, for building some degree of trust. I hope that the UK can support organisations that do the work, quietly and behind the scenes, to start building trust and dialogue on a community basis.

We have also heard about the concerns shared by my party with regards to the decision in 2019 by the Government of India on the revocation of Article 370 of the Indian constitution. Notwithstanding the 2024 elections that took place in Kashmir, it should be recognised that Kashmir continues to have less autonomy than India states. I want to ask the Minister about the views of Human Rights Watch when it comes to the denial of freedom of speech and association in that area, as well as the restrictions on broadcasting in India as a whole; the relationship with the BBC has been raised as a matter of particular concern.

As my noble friend Lord Hussain and others have said, this may be an opportunity for engagement and, ultimately, mediation. Is it the view of His Majesty’s Government that there is an opportunity ahead for the UK to play a part with two of our allies, who are Commonwealth members and with whom we have such deep and profound diaspora community relationships? Is it not in our interests to support them and the wider humanitarian need for there to be dialogue, understanding and mediation so that we do not see a repeat of the tensions from just a few weeks ago? As the noble Lord, Lord Ahmad, said, we might be able to see a different future for the whole community in this important part of the world.