Bradford [UK], June 11 (ANI): The chairman of the Jammu Kashmir National Independence Alliance (JKNIA), Mahmood Kashmiri, has strongly criticised the Pakistani government during a protest held by British Kashmiris outside the Pakistani Consulate in the United Kingdom, accusing Islamabad of using force to suppress dissent in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).

Addressing demonstrators, Mahmood Kashmiri claimed that the authorities had failed to silence the people of PoJK despite what he described as killings, injuries, torture, and arrests. He said the ongoing movement was aimed at securing the rights of the people and stated that force could not extinguish popular demands for justice and political freedoms.

The protest drew members of the Kashmiri diaspora, who gathered to express solidarity with demonstrators in PoJK. Kashmiri stated that thousands of British Kashmiris stood with the people of the region and would continue supporting their struggle for rights.

JKNIA chairman stated that the government had repeatedly resorted to force but had failed to break the population's resolve. He argued that political grievances should be addressed through dialogue rather than coercion, adding that guns and state power could not suppress a peaceful movement indefinitely.

Kashmiri also accused sections of the Pakistani media of spreading misinformation about the protest movement. He rejected allegations linking activists and movement leaders to armed activities, describing such claims as 'lies and nonsense.' Referring to several prominent figures associated with the movement, including Shaukat Nawaz Mir and Umar Nazir, he insisted that the campaign remained peaceful and was driven by public support rather than weapons or violence.

'The power of the people is the greatest power,' he stated, emphasising that no state force could overcome a united public demanding its rights.

The remarks come amid mounting tensions and political unrest in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, where protests and demonstrations have intensified in recent weeks. (ANI)