• Windows broken, eggs lobbed at building
• Metropolitan Police say at least one person held
• Tarar accuses New Delhi of sponsoring the attack

LONDON: As tensions between Pakistan and India rise in the wake of the Pahalgam attack, Pakistani diaspora protesters came face to face with their Indian counterparts outside the missions of both countries in central London, over the weekend.

The scenes outside the Pakistan High Commission in Lowndes Square, Belgravia, on Saturday and the Indian High Commission in Aldwych on Sunday showed that emotions are running high, with both sides chanting derogatory slogans and making offensive gestures against each other.

Met Police confirmed in a statement that officers were called at 5:03am on Sunday to reports of a man smashing windows at the Pakistani High Commission and that a 41-year-old man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of criminal damage and remains in custody. Eyewitnesses said eggs and saffron dye were also thrown at the embassy walls.

On Sunday, a handful of Pakistani protesters countered a sizeable number of Indian protesters, who were also joined by pro-Israel protesters who chanted anti-Pakistan slogans.

Outside the Pakistan mission, Pakistani protesters set up a chai stall in reference to the viral line by Indian pilot Abhinandan, who in 2019 was held captive by the Pakistan army when his plane was shot down inside Pakistani territory and later repatriated. One gentleman stood on the balcony of the Pakistan mission and waved a cup of tea.

One eyewitness said that a pro-BJP group decided to initiate the anti-Pakistan protest outside the Pakistan mission, calling on scores of protesters. To counter the protest, PML-N’s UK chapter staged a counter-protest and used a sound system to drown out the anti-Pakistan slogans.

At both protests, Met Police officers stood forming a protective line between the two sides as anger and derogatory slogans were chanted. Indian protesters carried “I am Hindu” placards and waved empty water bottles, saying “do you want water”, referring to India’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty.

Music was also blared by both sides, with the Pakistani protesters saying “Pak Fauj Zindabad” and “ISI Zindabad”. Anti-Modi and anti-Hindu slogans were also shouted, with Palestine flags and Pakistan flags waved together.

A pro-India protester was detained after making rude gestures and reportedly making racist comments. Indian protesters claimed that Met Police officers were being racist and that they pushed the protester “without listening”, adding that no one was arrested.

One Indian protester said the Met Police sides with Pakistan during the protests. Another said, “They have challenged Modi openly, now they will see the consequences.”

‘India responsible for attack’

Meanwhile, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has accused India of being responsible for the attack on the Pakistan High Commission in London.

Speaking to reporters about the Pahalgam incident in Islamabad, Mr Tarar accused India of using its “extremist ideology” to encourage people to attack Pakistan’s foreign missions.

“A very unfortunate incident took place in London. Our high commission was attacked twice, and stones were thrown,” the minister said. “The people who are responsible are being sponsored by Indian agencies and the Indian state.”

Mr Tarar said that suspects had been arrested by London’s Metropolitan Police but highlighted that the incident was a product of the “kind of mindset that the Indian state has”.

Syed Irfan Raza in Islamabad also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2025