Oxford Union Debate Row Sparks 'Indo–Pak Face-Off' (Pic Credits: Reddit)
Oxford Union Debate: A high-profile Oxford Union debate on India’s Pakistan policy fell apart on Thursday night after the Pakistan delegation failed to turn up on time, triggering confusion and a sharp war of words between the two sides. The debate on the motion, “This House believes that India’s Policy Towards Pakistan Is a Populist Strategy Sold as Security Policy,” was cancelled minutes before it was scheduled to begin, according to the reports.
The event was organised by Oxford Union president Moosa Harraj, son of Pakistan’s federal defence production minister Muhammad Raza Hayat Harraj. The Union had not publicly announced the list of speakers ahead of the debate.
Senior advocate J. Sai Deepak travelled from Delhi, adjusting his court hearings to participate. He was joined by UK-based J&K activist Manu Khajuria and dharmic scholar Pt Satish K. Sharma. Former Army Chief Gen MM Naravane and Dr Subramanian Swamy had withdrawn earlier, while Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi and consultant Suhel Seth were invited too late to confirm.
Sai said that on November 27, as the Indian speakers prepared to leave for the venue, he received a call from the Oxford Union at 3:13 pm informing him that the Pakistan delegation had not landed in London. Later, at 4:55 pm, Harraj told him he had known since 10 am that Pakistan’s speakers, retired general Zubair Mahmood Hayat and former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar would not attend.
The Indian side was then offered a debate against Oxford students, which they declined.
Meanwhile, at 2:44 pm, the Pakistan High Commission in London posted on X that the Indian delegation had withdrawn, accusing India of lacking the confidence to defend its Pakistan policy in a “rules-based forum” and preferring “partisan media platforms” instead.
Sai claimed he learned that the Pakistan delegation had, in fact, reached Oxford. He criticised the Union for mismanagement and for allowing Pakistan to project a “false victory.”
He said, “Instead of hosting a civil debate, the Oxford Union has allowed Pakistan to claim something that never happened. Had we known they were in Oxford, we would have debated them.”
He added that the episode amounted to what he called “Operation Manhoos ki phati hui Baniyan”, alleging that Pakistan’s representatives lacked the courage to engage in a face-to-face debate and failed to back their claims with evidence.
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