Exposed: Pakistan's False Claims About Indian Delegation at Oxford Union Debate Revealed

Pakistan falsely claimed that an Indian delegation withdrew from a debate at the Oxford Union

New Delhi:

Indian leaders and scholars have effectively countered Oxford Union's attempt to promote a Pakistani narrative under the pretense of free speech at a debating society event in Britain. The most concerning aspect was the blatant effort to legitimize the narrative of a nation whose official policy toward India centers on exporting terrorism.

A straightforward fact-check exposed the falsehood propagated by the Pakistan High Commission in London, which claimed that an Indian delegation withdrew from the Oxford Union debate at the last moment. In reality, it was the Pakistani side that hesitated and remained in their hotel. Furthermore, the Pakistanis went beyond this deception by declaring themselves the winners.

The event, titled 'This House Believes India's Policy Towards Pakistan is a Populist Strategy Sold as Security Policy,' was organized by Moosa Harraj, who is the fourth Pakistani to serve as president of the Oxford Union.

Senior lawyer Sai Deepak strongly rebuked Harraj for unprofessional conduct after being informed at the eleventh hour that the Pakistani participants had not appeared. Deepak later revealed that the Pakistani team had actually arrived but chose to remain in their hotel.

"Moosa claimed that he received a call at 10 am yesterday that the Pakistani team wouldn't be coming. Obviously, he knew earlier. Turns out that the Pakistani team did land…" stated the Indian senior lawyer.

"The Pakistani team was staying, and perhaps still is, at the George Street Hotel in Oxford, the same hotel that was arranged for my stay," he continued. "If the Pakistani team is still at Oxford, they should find the courage to debate us on the topic instead of doing an Operation Manhoos ki phati hui Baniyan where their Defence Minister couldn't even produce evidence of their so-called success."

The lawyer intensified his criticism by highlighting the Pakistani side's embarrassing behavior: "Why is the Pakistani team hiding behind kids like their terrorists, instead of facing us in a live debate for the world to see? Rest assured, we will be civil but we follow a no prisoners taken policy at least in a debate. So can the Pakistani team collectively grow a spine?"

"The Pakistani team, true to its national ethos, has mastered the art of deserting the battlefield even before the battle begins…" he added.

1. Trust the Pakistanis to make a pigsty even out of the @OxfordUnion. And as always, they are genetically incapable of being truthful. So here's the complete story of how this so-called debate played out. https://t.co/I74r18vZR6

— Sai Deepak J (@jsaideepak) November 28, 2025

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi added her voice to the criticism of the Pakistani delegation. She referred to Pakistan as "Aatankistan" and revealed that the Oxford Union had initially contacted her in July.

"... I agreed depending that it doesn't clash with parliament session. Then they disappeared all this while and mailed me out of the blue on 25th November asking me to confirm my presence, for which they got a stinker from me for their unprofessional conduct and I refused to be party to such pathetic management. Shameless and desperate spin once again from Aatankistan," Chaturvedi stated in a post on X.

Also a correction. They reached out to me in July, I agreed depending that it doesn't clash with parliament session. Then they disappeared all this while and mailed me out of the blue on 25th November asking me to confirm my presence, for which they got a stinker from me for…

— Priyanka Chaturvedi🇮🇳 (@priyankac19) November 28, 2025

Harraj, who holds an MPhil in Economics, was elected president of the Oxford Union this year. The duration of his tenure remains undetermined.