London: The UK Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, is expected to be challenged in the House of Commons this week after more than 150 MPs were contacted by hundreds of constituents urging her to provide a formal update on diplomatic efforts to secure the release of British national Jagtar Singh Johal, who has been held in arbitrary detention in India for over eight years.

According to the Sikh Federation UK, in just six days hundreds of letters have reached MPs across the political spectrum, pressing them to question what “diplomatic pressure” the Labour government has applied since taking office.

Jagtar Singh Johal—who was arrested in Punjab in 2017—reported serious allegations of torture while in custody, prompting the UK government at the time to warn India of “extreme action”, yet his case remains unresolved after more than eight years.

Disappointment After Meeting With Foreign Secretary

A meeting held today between Yvette Cooper, Jagtar Singh Johal’s brother, and MP Douglas McAllister has been described by those close to the family as deeply disappointing.

The Foreign Secretary was said to have been “complacent” for stating that Prime Minister Keir Starmer had only “raised concerns” in his two meetings with his Indian counterpart—one in London and one in New Delhi—over the last six months, without pushing explicitly for Jagtar’s release.

MPs to Raise Matter in the House of Commons

MPs have now committed to raising the matter publicly on Thursday, pressing the Foreign Secretary for a formal update to Parliament on what concrete diplomatic actions have been taken in Johal’s case.

They are expected to remind Cooper that the UK Government has a duty to act swiftly and decisively in cases where it accepts a British national is being arbitrarily detained abroad. One line of questioning will stress that the government “must always act quickly and do everything possible to seek the release and return” of its citizens.

Call for Urgent Meeting With MPs and Sikh Representatives

There are also growing demands for Yvette Cooper to urgently meet a delegation of MPs and Sikh community leaders to discuss next steps and to reassure the public that the government is treating the matter with the seriousness it deserves.

As pressure intensifies, campaigners, including the Sikh Federation UK, say the coming days will test whether the Labour government is prepared to escalate its diplomatic approach to secure Johal’s long-awaited return to the UK.