Thousands of Kashmiris living in the United Kingdom took part in the London Kashmir Million March on Sunday, beginning at Parliament Square and proceeding to the Pakistani High Commission.

The demonstration was organised to protest alleged human rights violations in Pakistan‑occupied Jammu and Kashmir and to demand the release of detained political activists. Organisers estimated that around 50,000 people joined the march, making it one of the largest diaspora protests in recent years.

The protest was not limited to Kashmiris alone. Members of the Baloch and Pashtun communities also joined, highlighting abuses committed by the Pakistan Army in their own regions and expressing solidarity with the people of PoJK. Their participation underscored the shared grievances of multiple ethnic groups against Islamabad’s policies and military actions.

Protesters chanted pro‑freedom slogans throughout the march and condemned the arrest of Shaukat Nawaz Mir, head of the Joint Awami Action Committee, along with other political leaders. They described the detention of Kashmiri activists as a direct assault on the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, demanding their immediate release. The crackdown on political dissent was a recurring theme in speeches and slogans.

Speaking outside the Pakistani High Commission, Mahmood Kashmiri, a political activist from PoJK, accused Pakistani forces of committing violence against civilians in Tattapani, Sehnsa and Kotli. He declared that Kashmiris across the world were uniting to oppose what he described as oppression in the region. He emphasised that British Kashmiris had gathered in large numbers to raise their voices internationally against Pakistani forces.

Mahmood Kashmiri urged Pakistan to honour its agreements and grant the people of PoJK their rights. He warned that if the ruling class continued to massacre Kashmiris, global communities and those within Azad Kashmir would stand firm against the oppressive system. He insisted that the people would reclaim the rights that had been taken away by the rulers of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir.

He also demanded the return of the bodies of Kashmiri youths allegedly taken into custody by Pakistani authorities and called for the release of detained youth. He vowed that Kashmiris would never surrender to oppression and would continue their peaceful struggle against tyranny and injustice. His remarks resonated strongly with the crowd, reinforcing the determination of the diaspora to sustain pressure.

The demonstration took place against the backdrop of continuing unrest in PoJK following protests that began on 5 June. Organisers noted that the agitation intensified after several local protesters were killed in firing by Pakistani security forces. Since then, multiple leaders and activists associated with the Joint Awami Action Committee have been arrested, fuelling allegations that the crackdown on dissent is ongoing.

Organisers explained that the London Kashmir Million March was intended to express solidarity with victims of unrest in PoJK and to hold Pakistan accountable for alleged human rights abuses. They appealed to the international community to take note of what they described as continued repression of Kashmiris in the territory. The march was thus both a show of diaspora unity and a call for global intervention.

ANI