India’s High Commissioner to the UK, Vikram Doraiswami, showed a photo to Sky News’ Yalda Hakim, which he claims depicts Pakistani military personnel standing behind Hafiz Abdul Rauf, a “sanctioned terrorist under the American sanctions regime.” This revelation comes amidst rising tensions between India and Pakistan and a fresh controversy ignited by reports suggesting Pakistan used Chinese-made J-10 fighter jets to down Indian aircraft.
The claims, sourced from Reuters and confirmed by US officials, marked the first time Western officials allegedly confirmed that Pakistan used J-10s and air-to-air missiles to target Indian fighter jets. However, Doraiswami swiftly dismissed these claims, saying, “There is no evidence of that. We haven’t actually confirmed any such thing.”
He went on to challenge the broader implications of the situation, asking, “If all of this is true and if Pakistan has essentially succeeded in making its point, why are they not stopping?”
Doraiswami pointed to Pakistan’s conflicting narrative, saying, “If Pakistan says it’s retaliating—as their Commissioner claimed—what are they retaliating against? They’re retaliating against attacks on terror infrastructure. So what does that say about their relationship with those terror groups?” He highlighted the well-documented links between Pakistan’s deep state and terrorism.
When asked about Islamabad’s offer to conduct an international probe into the Pahalgam attack, Doraiswami recalled past instances where such offers were made but went unheeded. He referenced the 2016 Pathankot attack, where India offered unprecedented access, including DNA samples and call records, but the joint investigation never progressed. He also brought up the 2008 Mumbai attacks, stating, “A substantial amount of material was provided to Pakistan and the world. All Pakistan did was use the so-called cooperation to hide their tracks and shield their assets.”
As the situation at the border remains tense with ongoing cross-border shelling and rising political pressure, Doraiswami’s remarks underline New Delhi’s growing concern that Pakistan continues to fail in addressing credible evidence while playing a double diplomatic game.