Kashmiri diaspora’s Bradford sit‑in hits 85 days – a stubborn call for rights in PoJK

Rain or shine, the Kashmiri diaspora in Bradford has kept a modest tent pitched right outside the Pakistani Consulate for 85 days now. It’s a scene that might look a bit like a weekend market stall, except the wares on display are placards, loudspeakers and a relentless demand for attention.

Mahmood Kashmiri, a political activist who has become one of the more vocal faces of the sit‑in, summed it up simply: “Our basic demand is that we should be given the right to live. We should be given the basic human rights.” He went on to claim that Pakistani security forces enjoy “full impunity” and are allegedly responsible for “murdering the Kashmiris.” The tone is urgent, almost pleading, as if the very act of breathing has been weaponised.

Beyond the plea for safety, the protesters have a political bone to pick. They accuse the authorities in Pakistan‑occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) of rigging the electoral process – saying that locals are barred from running for office while parties based in Pakistan quietly take the ballot box. “We want elections in Kashmir to be watched by global bodies,” Mahmood said, hoping for an external eye that might deter any further manipulation.

Other participants painted a grimmer picture. Women and children, they say, have faced forced displacement; young men are reportedly being taken to undisclosed locations; and basic supplies like medicine and food have become scarce because of road blockades. The narrative mirrors, in many ways, the reports coming out of other conflict zones, making the call for a broader, international investigation feel all the more pressing.

With the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) – the movement they identify as the main voice of PoJK protest – officially banned by the regional government in June, the Bradford demonstrators say the crackdown only hardened their resolve. “We will keep this peaceful sit‑in going until the world hears us,” they vowed, directing an appeal to the UK government, the United Nations and human‑rights organisations worldwide.

While the protest has drawn curiosity from passers‑by and occasional media attention, the activists admit the march is wearing thin. Still, they argue that endurance is part of the strategy: the longer the sit‑in lasts, the harder it is to ignore the grievances they carry across continents.

Whether the international community will step up, or the protest will simply fade into the background of daily news, remains to be seen. For now, the makeshift camp in Bradford stands as a small but stubborn reminder that the fight for rights in PoJK is far from over.