Who is Colonel Taimur Rahat, Pak diplomat who made ‘throat-slit' gesture in London?

Hindustan Times

30-04-2025

During a protest held by members of the Indian community outside the Pakistan High Commission in London last week to denounce the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, Colonel Taimur Rahat, a senior officer in the Pakistan Army, was filmed making threatening gestures toward the demonstrators.
In widely circulated videos on social media, Colonel Rahat was seen publicly making a 'throat-slit gesture' directed at the Indian protesters on Friday.
He was also spotted holding a poster featuring a sketch of IAF pilot Captain Abhinandan Varthaman with the phrase 'Chai is Fantastic', a reference to the pilot's time in Pakistani custody in February 2019.
According to news agency ANI, Colonel Taimur Rahat currently holds the position of Pakistan Army and Air Advisor at the Pakistan High Commission in London.
His name is also listed on the official website of the Pakistan High Commission in London as one of its officers.
He is part of the Defence Wing at the High Commission in the UK.
Rahat is married to Maham Taimur. In May last year, Maham Taimur was seen organising a 'social event' at the High Commission 'to celebrate the exquisiteness, diversity, talent and allure of Pakistan and its people.'
The occasion had Sarah Naeem, the spouse of the High Commissioner, as the Chief Guest.
More than 500 British Hindus gathered outside the Pakistan High Commission in London on Friday to protest the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which left 26 people dead.
Waving Indian flags and holding placards, the demonstrators mourned the victims and demanded accountability. They raised slogans denouncing terrorism and accused Pakistan of harbouring and supporting terror organisations behind such attacks.
Protesters also criticised the Pakistan High Commission for playing loud music and making inappropriate remarks during a time of national grief.
The Indian diaspora called on the UK government to summon Pakistan's High Commissioner for a formal explanation. They also urged Pakistan to publicly denounce the killings, stop sponsoring terrorism, and ensure the perpetrators and their supporters are brought to justice through international diplomatic pressure.
In response to the attack, India initiated several diplomatic steps: it shut down the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari, suspended the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) for Pakistani citizens—giving them 40 hours to leave the country—and reduced staff at both nations' High Commissions.
India also suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, a water-sharing agreement signed in 1960 after nine years of talks facilitated by the World Bank, in reaction to the Pahalgam attack.