An Oxford Union debate on India’s policy towards Pakistan did not take place on Thursday (April 27) evening after the Pakistan delegation failed to arrive on time. This sparked a standoff and forced the event’s cancellation just minutes before it was scheduled to begin, according to reports.
What Was The Oxford Union Debate About?
The motion for the debate, “This House believes that India’s policy towards Pakistan is a populist strategy sold as security policy,” was organised by Oxford Union president Moosa Harraj, a British-Pakistani and son of Pakistan’s federal defence production minister Muhammad Raza Hayat Harraj. The Union did not publicly release the final list of speakers.
Tonight’s Debate at the Oxford Union:
“This House Believes India’s Policy Towards Pakistan is a Populist Strategy Sold as Security Policy”Organised by MT25 President Moosa Harraj. pic.twitter.com/grdHB6Wpkc
— Oxford Union (@OxfordUnion) November 27, 2025
Senior advocate J Sai Deepak flew in from Delhi, attending remotely to finish his court hearings so he could participate. He was joined at the last minute 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 Former Army Chief Gen MM Naravane and Dr Subramanian Swamy had allegedly withdrawn earlier, while Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi and marketing consultant Suhel Seth were approached too late. Chaturvedi, according to reports, said that the Union had contacted her briefly in July and again on November 25.
Indian Delegation Arrives At Oxford, Pakistan Team Missing
According to Sai Deepak, as the Indian delegation prepared to leave for the venue on November 27, he received a call from the Oxford Union at 3:13 pm local time stating that the Pakistan delegation had not yet landed in London. At 4:55 pm, Harraj reportedly admitted he had known since 10 am that Pakistan’s intended speakers, former Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee chairman Zubair Mahmood Hayat and former Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, would not attend.
The episode took social media by storm with scheduled speakers from India lambasting Pakistani propaganda mostly pushed by its High Commission in the UK.
Sai Deepak described the incident as “Operation Manhoos ki phati hui Baniyan”, saying, “Instead of conducting a civil debate, the Oxford Union has allowed Pakistan to claim a false victory. Had we known their team was in Oxford, we would have debated them. If they are still there, they should find the courage to face us, instead of doing an Operation Manhoos ki phati hui Baniyan, where Pakistan’s defence minister couldn’t even produce evidence of their so-called success.”
Tonight’s Debate at the Oxford Union:
“This House Believes India’s Policy Towards Pakistan is a Populist Strategy Sold as Security Policy”Organised by MT25 President Moosa Harraj. pic.twitter.com/grdHB6Wpkc
— Oxford Union (@OxfordUnion) November 27, 2025
Despite arriving on time, the Indian delegation refused an alternative offer to debate students after the event was cancelled.
Pakistan High Commission in UK Pushes Propaganda
The Pakistan High Commission in the UK further fuelled the controversy, accusing India of “backing out” and claiming the Indian delegation had handed a walkover to Pakistan.
Moosa Harraj, the debate organiser, has faced criticism with allegations that he orchestrated a “calculated ploy to force out the Indian contingent.”
On Thursday at 2:44 pm, the Pakistan High Commission in London posted a tweet claiming that the Indian delegation had withdrawn, alleging India lacked confidence to defend its Pakistan policy in a “rules-based forum” and preferred “partisan media platforms” over a neutral debate.
Indian Delegation Backs Out Of Oxford Union Debate At Last Minute, Hands Walkover to Pakistani side
The Pakistan High Commission in London @PakistaninUK regrets to announce that the Indian delegation scheduled to participate in a high profile debate at the Oxford Union…
— Pakistan High Commission London (@PakistaninUK) November 27, 2025
The High Commission’s narrative, asserting that Hina Rabbani Khar, Zubair Mahmood Hayat, and Pakistan’s envoy to the UK, Mohammad Faisal, were already in London and ready to travel to Oxford, now appears increasingly questionable given the Union’s communications and the contradictory sequence of events reported by Indian speakers.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
