Community memorandum to the Prime Minister warns of communications blackout, blockade, reported detention of British nationals, political repression, and family-based reprisals against UK-based activists
Thousands of British Kashmiris from across the United Kingdom are gathering today at 10 Downing Street, London, to submit an urgent memorandum to the Prime Minister calling for immediate UK Government intervention over the worsening human rights and humanitarian protection crisis in Pakistan-administered Azad Jammu & Kashmir.
6/21/20263 min read
Thousands of British Kashmiris from across the United Kingdom are gathering today at 10 Downing Street, London, to submit an urgent memorandum to the Prime Minister calling for immediate UK Government intervention over the worsening human rights and humanitarian protection crisis in Pakistan-administered Azad Jammu and Kashmir — AJK.
The memorandum warns that over one million members of the Kashmiri diaspora from AJK living in the UK are deeply distressed because many have parents, children, siblings and close relatives in Mirpur, Rawalakot, Kotli, Bagh, Pallandri/Sudhnoti and other parts of AJK whom they have been unable to contact since 6 June 2026, when internet, mobile-phone and communications services were reportedly shut down across the region.
Community representatives say the blackout has left British families unable to confirm whether their relatives are safe, injured, detained or missing, or whether they need urgent medical or travel assistance. The memorandum states that this is not simply a local administrative issue, but a crisis directly affecting UK residents and British citizens whose families are now unreachable.
The demonstration also highlights reports that an estimated over 5,000 British nationals are currently trapped in Mirpur Division and other parts of AJK due to road blockades, curfew-like restrictions, and restrictions on the entry of food, medicines and essential supplies. Many reportedly travelled to AJK for holidays, family visits, weddings, funerals, business or charitable work and are now unable to move freely or reliably contact UK consular authorities.
The memorandum raises grave concern over reports that British nationals visiting AJK have been involuntarily detained or targeted because their family members support the civil-rights movement. It also warns of alleged transnational repression, including reports that Pakistani security agencies are arresting or intimidating family members of British Kashmiri human rights activists in AJK to pressure UK-based activists not to participate in peaceful protest in London.
British Kashmiri representatives are calling on the Prime Minister and His Majesty’s Government to urgently direct the British High Commission in Islamabad to establish an AJK consular response desk, seek access to any detained British nationals, request verified lists of British citizens detained, injured, missing, hospitalised or prevented from leaving, and provide emergency travel, welfare, legal signposting and family-contact support.
The memorandum further urges the UK Government to engage Pakistan diplomatically, including by seeking clarification over the communications shutdown, road blockades, detention of protesters, Schedule 4 measures, and reports of British nationals being detained or prevented from leaving AJK. It also asks the UK Government to request guarantees that no family member of a British Kashmiri activist will be arrested, threatened or punished in retaliation for lawful protest or advocacy in the United Kingdom.
Community organisers say the situation in AJK has moved from a human rights crisis into a humanitarian protection emergency. The memorandum states that markets and towns have reportedly remained shut since 9 June 2026, while Rawalakot has been under curfew-like conditions since 6 June 2026, threatening access to food, medicines, livelihoods, emergency healthcare and safe passage for civilians, including British nationals.
The memorandum also highlights political and economic repression of the peaceful civil-rights movement led by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee — JKJAAC. It states that JKJAAC has reportedly been proscribed without credible publicly disclosed evidence, that over 150 leading JKJAAC members from all 10 districts of AJK have reportedly been placed on Schedule 4 of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Terrorism Act, 2014, and that approximately 250 more are reportedly at risk.
Between 6 June and 14 June 2026, AJK Police reportedly arrested more than 425 peaceful civilian protesters, while more than 60,000 members and supporters are reportedly participating peacefully in a sit-in at Dharake / Eidgah Ground, Rawalakot, since 10 June 2026. Demonstrators say the authorities have ignored an open offer of negotiations by JKJAAC leaders and are instead attempting to crush the civil-rights movement through arrests, communications shutdowns, road blockades, economic reprisals and intimidation.
Community Statements
“Our families are unreachable. British nationals are reportedly trapped. Peaceful protesters are being detained. Food and medicines are being blocked. This is now a matter of consular protection, human rights, humanitarian access and democratic freedom.”
“British Kashmiris are not asking the UK Government to take sides in a political dispute. We are asking the UK Government to protect British nationals, uphold human rights, and respond urgently to a humanitarian protection emergency affecting families across the United Kingdom.”
The memorandum asks the UK Government to use its position as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council to raise urgent concerns regarding civilian protection, communications shutdowns, arbitrary detention, humanitarian blockade and repression of peaceful assembly in Pakistan-administered AJK. It also calls for UK support for urgent engagement by OHCHR and relevant UN Special Procedures, including mandates on peaceful assembly and association, freedom of expression, extrajudicial executions, torture, human rights defenders, arbitrary detention and enforced disappearances.
The demonstrators are calling for immediate humanitarian corridors into Rawalakot and affected areas for food, medicines, ambulances, doctors, humanitarian organisations and independent monitors; restoration of internet, mobile and phone services; independent access for media and human rights monitors; and verified lists of all dead, injured, detained and missing persons.
British Kashmiri organisers also urge UK authorities to treat intimidation of British Kashmiri activists through threats or arrests of relatives in AJK as a matter of transnational repression affecting UK residents, and to publicly affirm the right of British Kashmiris to protest peacefully in the United Kingdom without fear of reprisals against themselves or their families abroad.
© 2025 Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee. All rights reserved.
CONTACT US