Members of the Indian community in the United Kingdom held a peaceful yet powerful protest outside the Pakistan High Commission in London on Friday, strongly condemning the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.
Waving Indian flags and holding banners with slogans like “Pakistan Murdabad” and “I am Hindu,” the protesters denounced Pakistan for allegedly harboring and supporting terrorist groups responsible for the April 22 attack that claimed the lives of 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen. Several others were injured when terrorists opened fire on tourists at the Baisaran meadow.
Chants of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” echoed through the protest site, where participants expressed grief, anger, and a collective demand for justice. “They (Pakistan) have nurtured a terror factory, and because of that, our 26 people were killed in Pahalgam,” said one member of the Indian diaspora.
Another protester shared the growing unrest within the Indian community in the UK over the “heinous” nature of the attack. “We have gathered here to express our solidarity and respect. This is a peaceful protest, with the participation of all Indians,” he said.
Members of the Jewish community also joined in support, citing shared experiences of Islamist terrorism. One Indo-Jewish protester likened the Pahalgam attack to the Hamas-led assault on Israel in 2023. “The Pakistani regime nurtures terrorism… We will always stand with Indians because we have the same enemy: Islamist radicalisation,” he said, recalling his personal survival from a bomb blast in Bombay in the 1990s.
The protest was marked by unity across cultures and generations, with participants coming together to honor the victims and call out the forces behind the violence.
In response to the attack, the Indian government swiftly implemented diplomatic countermeasures. These included shutting down the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari, suspending the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) for Pakistani nationals, issuing a 40-hour deadline for their return, and scaling down diplomatic staff at High Commissions on both sides.
India also suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, a historic 1960 agreement brokered by the World Bank to share the Indus River system between India and Pakistan. The treaty, long seen as a symbol of cooperation despite conflict, is now under review in the wake of escalating tensions.
