UK’s special envoy wants Islamabad to categorically condemn Russian invasion of Ukraine

• Nigel Casey says Pakistan and UK have a mature relationship.
• Envoy says both countries differ on issues too.
• We ask Pakistan to take a clear stand and condemn Russia's unprovoked aggression, says envoy.

LONDON: British Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Nigel Casey, has said that Pakistan and UK have a mature relationship that allows both countries to speak frankly on issues where there is disagreement.

Speaking to Geo News at the National Day of Pakistan event at the Pakistan High Commissioner’s house, Casey said that Pakistan and the UK have a strong relationship, but both countries differ on issues.

When asked about the UK and European Union’s demand on Pakistan to condemn the Russian attack on Ukraine, Casey said: "We have asked all countries, particularly democratic countries, to make a clear stand against the unprovoked act of Russian aggression in Ukraine. This was without any justification and was a barbaric aggression, and we believe it needs to be condemned by all countries in the United Nations (UN)."

The British PM's special representative did not agree with PM Imran Khan’s statement that the Western countries had adopted double standards when they did not condemn Indian aggression in Kashmir but demanded others to condemn the Russian attack on Ukraine. 

"I don’t believe there are any double standards. What Russia has done is a clear breach of the UN Charter, and every member of the UN ought to be able to be equally clear in condemning what Russia is doing in Ukraine. It is utterly without any justification," said Casey.

When asked about PM Imran Khan’s statement saying that Western countries should not treat Pakistan like a slave, the UK government's envoy said: "We have a strong relationship with Pakistan going back many years." It’s a mature relationship that allows us to speak frankly about issues where we disagree. This issue is the most important issue in world affairs right now, and we are asking all members of the UN, particularly countries like ours, to take a clear stand and condemn this unprovoked aggression."

When asked about the cancellation of three high-profile visits, Casey did not refute the report published in The News. 

When asked why these visits – two scheduled from Pakistan to the UK and one from the UK to Pakistan – were cancelled, Casey said that for the UK, it was the Ukraine situation that mattered the most.

"The most important thing is the situation in our neighbourhood in Europe, where there is a mass campaign of unprovoked aggression and invasion of the sort we should not have seen in the 21st century." All countries, particularly democracies, should take a very clear stance, making their views very clear to Russia that this is completely unacceptable behaviour in the 21st century," said Casey.