"Condemnable to label Pakistan and Pakistanis as criminals"
Pakistan has strongly condemned the “increasingly racist and Islamophobic” comments directed at British Pakistanis in the media and political sphere.
The remarks follow renewed political and media scrutiny of past British grooming scandals.
In particular, scrutiny of grooming gangs in northern England that predominantly involved Pakistani men.
On January 13, 2025, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan stated:
“We note with deep concern the increasingly racist and Islamophobic political and media commentary in the UK that is aimed at conflating the reprehensible actions of a few individuals with the entire 1.7 million British-Pakistani diaspora.”
Khan stressed the historical and contemporary contributions of British Pakistanis:
“British nationals of Pakistani origin have a rich history of contributing to the United Kingdom’s growth, development and, indeed, freedom.
“An exceptionally large number of predominantly Muslim soldiers from what is now Pakistan served in the British Indian army and laid down their lives for the cause of democracy in both World Wars.
“British Pakistanis today form the backbone of the UK’s health, retail and services sectors.
“Many British Pakistanis hold high public office, and thousands serve their communities as Members of Parliament, mayors, councillors, and as members of local police and municipal services.
“British Pakistanis have excelled in sports and arts. Their cuisine and music enrich British culture.
“To demonise such a large and diverse community on the basis of the actions of a few individuals needs to be condemned.”
Pakistan’s statement comes after a barrage of comments marked as Islamophobic and racist followed Elon Musk’s comments on “Asian grooming gangs”.
In January 2025, there has been growing disquiet and tension.
The grooming scandals have previously been seized upon by far-right figures such as Tommy Robinson and presently by public figures like Elon Musk.
The tension and unease are palatable, leading to some individuals and groups from other South Asian communities in Britain and elsewhere attempting to dissociate.
Several Indian diaspora groups in the UK have objected to the use of the term “Asian” regarding the grooming gang scandal.
For some, the focus should be exclusively on the Pakistani community, while others have focused specifically on Pakistani Muslims.
One consequence of this has been further stereotyping, generalisations, Islamophobia and racism directed at British Pakistani communities.
In India, MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, deputy leader of India’s Shiv Sena UBT party, wrote on X:
Repeat after me, they aren’t ASIAN Grooming Gangs but PAKISTANI grooming gangs.
Why should Asians take the fall for one absolute rogue nation?
— Priyanka Chaturvedi?? (@priyankac19) January 8, 2025
Musk replied to the X post with the comment “true”, signalling his support for her remarks.
Chaturvedi’s comments have been reposted and copied by those who agree.
In contrast, critics have stressed the dangers of generalisations.
The Coordinator to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Rana Ihsaan Afzal Khan, wrote:
Condemnable to label Pakistan and Pakistanis as criminals as if it’s something like in genes. There is nothing short of such pathetic statements coming out of eugenics since the rise of Third Reich. https://t.co/JIR0XDlPb6
— Rana Ihsaan Afzal Khan (@IhsaanaKhan) January 9, 2025
British Pakistani Sonila* told DESIblitz:
“It’s a man problem, not solely a specific race or ethnic group.
“We need to look at power dynamics, misogyny, and inequalities. There are layers to it, but it’s men.”
“The distorted focus on one group will not help. It just increases the hate that already exists or is created and gives it a false justification.
“And it distracts from the bigger issue of grooming and sexual crime.”
Grooming gangs, sexual exploitation and abuse have been condemned across Pakistani and other Asian communities in Britain and internationally.
Many in the UK and globally have emphasised that the language and wording being utilised matter and hold power.
People have stressed the need not to demonise an entire community and look at facts and figures.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has announced that the government will fund several local inquiries into grooming gangs.