London: In a major embarrassment for Pakistan, thousands of British Kashmiris flooded the streets of London on Sunday, demanding freedom for Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and condemning what they described as decades of repression, human rights abuses and military excesses by Islamabad in the region.
Gathering at Parliament Square, protesters marched through central London carrying banners and raising slogans against Pakistan’s military establishment. Chants of “Pakistan Army Get Out” and calls for the liberation of PoK reverberated across the British capital as demonstrators accused Islamabad of suppressing the voices of the people living under its control.
The protesters expressed strong support for the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), demanding the restoration of civil liberties and an end to what they termed state-sponsored intimidation and violence. Speakers at the rally alleged that Pakistani authorities have systematically silenced dissent, targeted activists and used force against peaceful citizens demanding basic rights.
Demonstrators also highlighted reports of civilian killings, alleged harassment of women and violent crackdowns on peaceful protests in PoK. Waving placards and banners, they called for international attention to what they described as worsening conditions in the region and demanded accountability from Pakistan’s authorities.
The London march came days after similar anti-Pakistan demonstrations outside the Pakistani Consulate in Bradford, signalling growing anger among the Kashmiri diaspora over Islamabad’s policies in the territory.
Significantly, even the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has voiced concern over the decision to ban the JAAC under anti-terror laws, a move critics say is aimed at crushing legitimate political dissent rather than combating extremism.
Recent clashes in Rawalakot between police and JAAC activists reportedly left several civilians and security personnel dead, further intensifying tensions across the region.
India has consistently maintained that Pakistan is illegally occupying parts of the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, and that the entire territory of Jammu & Kashmir is an integral part of India. The latest protests in London have once again drawn international attention to growing discontent within Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and mounting criticism of Islamabad’s handling of the region.
