PoJK Crackdown Trauma Reaches Britain: Overseas Kashmiris Hold Massive Gathering in London; Activists Call for Global Protests

London: Overseas Kashmiris staged a large demonstration in London on Sunday, protesting the Pakistani authorities’ intensified crackdown in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), including the arrest of over 600 civil rights activists and the use of lethal force against demonstrators.

Organized under the banner of the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), the London gathering drew significant participation from the Kashmiri diaspora. A post by the Awami Action Committee on X described it as “a massive gathering of overseas Kashmiris in London,” highlighting solidarity with ongoing protests inside PoJK. Similar demonstrations were reported in other cities, including in Auckland, New Zealand.

Advocate Mehran Khawaja, in a video statement, called on Kashmiris living abroad and supporters worldwide to escalate peaceful protests against what he termed Pakistan’s repression, marked by widespread human rights violations, a prolonged internet shutdown, arbitrary arrests, and excessive force by security forces.

“The situation in Pakistani-occupied Jammu and Kashmir is getting worse by the hour,” activist Amjad Ayub Mirza stated, noting that more than 600 JAAC workers and activists have been detained following the arrest of JAAC leader Shaukat Nawaz Mir.

Tensions inside PoJK escalated sharply on Sunday as Pakistani Rangers opened fire on protesters in Amb village, Dadyal tehsil of Mirpur district. According to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) PoJK unit and the JAAC, one person was killed and several others injured. Protests continued across the region in support of basic rights and an ongoing sit-in in Rawalakot, with large numbers of participants, including women, children, and the elderly, gathering at venues such as Sardar Ghulam Hussain Khan Sports Stadium in Abbaspor.

The JAAC has accused Pakistani security forces of using drones for surveillance, resorting to shelling and firing on peaceful demonstrators, and imposing a near month-long internet blackout since early June. The group has called for a boycott of local elections scheduled for July 27 and urged protesters to carry white flags while maintaining complete peacefulness.

Amnesty International strongly condemned Pakistan’s actions, criticizing the designation of the JAAC as a “proscribed organisation” and accusing authorities of deploying violent measures to suppress peaceful dissent ahead of the regional elections. The rights watchdog described the ban as a disproportionate attack on freedom of association.

On June 30, the JAAC had already denounced Islamabad for blocking a political delegation of opposition leaders from entering PoJK, viewing it as further evidence of democratic suppression.

Khawaja urged residents, particularly in Dadyal and surrounding areas, to continue peaceful mobilization despite the risks, emphasizing unity against alleged state oppression. He criticized the use of public resources and security personnel against unarmed civilians, including women and youth, instead of addressing legitimate grievances through dialogue.

The protests stem from long-standing demands for basic rights, better governance, and an end to alleged enforced disappearances and heavy-handed tactics in the region. Diaspora activists say they plan to sustain international pressure on Pakistan to release detained leaders and respect fundamental freedoms.

(With inputs from agencies)

Also Read: Foreign Ministry Warns Public Against Fraudsters Posing as MEA Advisors on Social Media & Offering Paid Consultations