Pakistan

British Pakistanis leaving Conservative Party after secretary’s ‘racist’ attack

Published

2 years ago

Farwa

LONDON: A group of Pakistani doctors associated with the Conservative Party has claimed that it has lost over 200 members after UK Home Secretary and Member of Parliament Suella Braverman made bigoted and racist comment about Pakistani men linking them with sex grooming gangs.

Braverman’s comments that British Pakistani men “hold cultural values at odds with British values” and that they are linked with the grooming scandal have drawn wide criticism and senior Conservative leaders have accused her of peddling racist and Islamophobic lies to gain the support of right-wing sections.

In a letter to the home secretary, Dr Ashraf Chohan, Chairman and Founder of Conservative Friends of National Health Service (NHS), has told the home secretary that his organisation has lost over 200 members who are all doctors.

Dr Chohan has told the secretary that he fears more doctors will leave the group as they no longer associate themselves with a party whose secretary holds such racist views. Conservative Friends of NHS has been raising funds and gathering support for the Tory party for several years.

Dr Chohan wrote: “Since a statement from you as home secretary I have lost 200 members who are all doctors, Therefore, only Sadiq Khan would be delighted on the statement you gave last week about British Pakistanis and can a clarification be issued that you only meant offenders and criminals but not each Pakistani man please, as we, Conservatives can’t afford losing any more votes.”

The letter to the secretary presents a fact sheet to Braverman on the contribution of Britons of Pakistani heritage. It says over 1.2 million in Britain are of Pakistani heritage with a large number of them working in the NHS; there are 10 Labour and five Conservative MPs, the London mayor and the first minister of Scotland are of Pakistani descent; boxers and cricketers of Pakistani heritage are far higher than any other ethnic community.

It further added that the majority of British Pakistanis are considered to be working or middle class; 50% are employed; 25% self-employed; 20% of Pakistanis are in managerial or professional occupations; 20% in intermediate occupations; 25% are in routine or manual occupations; and 45% of British Pakistanis living in both inner and outer London are middle class.

The letter informs the secretary that her false narrative has hurt the sentiments of millions of ethnic minorities and she must apologise to Pakistanis and withdraw her comments.

Faith leaders, community groups, professional forums, and activists have come together to issue an unprecedented condemnation of Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s “racist, Islamophobic, irresponsible and divisive” rhetoric linking child sexual exploitation with Pakistanis.

The home secretary’s “racist and inflammatory comments” from a series of interviews labelled as “inflammatory and divisive rhetoric that is sensationalist and contradicts her own department’s evidence”.

Pakistani organisations have been joined by British Nigerian, British Indian, British Bengali, and others in mounting condemnation of the Home Secretary, arguing that the secretary’s rhetoric overlooks the impact “cuts in public sector and community services under the current government have had on young people increasing their vulnerability”.

British Pakistan Foundation (BPF) has called on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to distance himself from Braverman’s extremist rhetoric and issue an apology to British Pakistanis.

The Muslim Women’s Network and others who have evidenced and worked with Asian victims of grooming have commented: “The Home Secretary’s approach of demonising an entire community and lending credibility to far-right narratives undermine the need to ensure all victims of CSE are protected and all perpetrators are brought to justice.”

Latest News

Protectors of the Highest Battlefield in the World: The Pakistan Army’s Valiant Position on Siachen Glacier

Published

2 days ago

Farwa

Siachen, the highest battleground in the world, is a potent symbol of the bravery, sacrifices, and unwavering resolve of Pakistan Army soldiers who are always prepared to protect their country.

With unmatched tenacity and fortitude, they survive at elevations of 21,000 feet and temperatures as low as -40°C.

With courage and determination, the courageous men of the Pakistan Army spearhead every mission, from saving the lives of those suffering from oxygen shortages to rescuing wounded comrades in avalanche-prone locations.

There is no comparison to the sacrifices made by the Pakistan Army to defend the country’s boundaries.

Latest News

Session of the National Assembly: Government Prioritising Youth Skill Development: Ch Salik Hussain

Published

1 week ago

Farwa

The National Assembly was informed that the government is concentrating on developing the skills of young people in order to meet the demand for skilled workers in other countries. To this end, the government has inked agreements with several countries.

Latest News

PTA provides a significant update on Pakistan’s Starlink launch.

Published

1 week ago

Farwa

Starlink applied for a license on February 24, 2022, and is currently in communication with the new regulatory body, according to a briefing given to the National Assembly Standing Committee on IT, which was chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan, the PTA Chairman.

Starlink needs to register with both the PSB and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) before to starting its satellite services in Pakistan. According to the PTA Chairman, the body will proceed with further actions after the registration procedure is over.

Along with Starlink, Shanghai Space Technology is also making its debut in Pakistan, which should boost internet access and spur technical advancement in the nation.

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has also made it plain that until it has government approval, it is unable to grant a license to Elon Musk’s satellite internet service, Starlink.

The chairman stated that Starlink has promised to adhere to government regulations and not circumvent the system.

The committee also chose to call a meeting of the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) to take up the topic of space technology regulation. Additionally, the committee asked why the PTA is assigning its duties to other groups.

Prior to the launch of Starlink in Pakistan, Elon Musk, the CEO of SPACEX, stated that he was seeking permission from the Pakistani government.

According to information, Pakistani social media user Sanam Jamali and Elon Musk had a discussion on the launch of Starlink in Pakistan on the social media site X (previously Twitter).

Sanam asked Musk to launch Starlink in Pakistan, claiming that it might open the door to a better future by giving people access to the internet and chances to advance.

In response, Musk said that he is awaiting Pakistani official approval to introduce Starlink there. Through a massive network of satellites, SpaceX’s Starlink offers internet services.

Starlink

SpaceX, a private aircraft manufacturer and space transport services provider established by Elon Musk, is the developer of the Starlink satellite internet network. The constellation uses a network of thousands of tiny satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) to deliver fast, dependable, and worldwide internet connectivity.

The way we access the internet could be completely changed by this cutting-edge technology, particularly in isolated and underdeveloped locations where conventional fiber-optic and cellular networks are scarce or nonexistent.

High-speed internet access with latency as low as 20 ms is what the Starlink constellation is intended to provide; this is on par with or even better than many current fiber-optic networks.

Every Starlink satellite includes a phased array antenna, which enables it to connect with numerous users at once, offering a flexible and high-capacity network. Fast and dependable internet connection is available to users from almost anywhere in the world with Starlink, which is an exciting advancement for digital inclusion and global connectedness.