A British national, Mohammad Akhtar, 50, was shot and killed by Pakistani security forces during protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on 9 June, according to a report by British daily The Guardian citing his family. Akhtar, a resident of Peterborough in the United Kingdom, was staying in Kotli city in PoK when he was struck by a stray bullet amid clashes that have killed dozens and posed one of the gravest challenges to Pakistani authorities in recent years.

What Happened in Kotli

Akhtar was not participating in the demonstrations, according to his family. The protests had erupted near his residence, where crowds had gathered to demand economic and electoral reforms in PoK. His cousin, Mohammad Saad, told The Guardian: “He wasn’t taking part in protests, but the demonstrations were happening close to his house. There was firing by the forces that day, and he was hit by a stray bullet. There was a bullet wound on the side of his chest.”

Saad added that Akhtar’s children chose not to raise the matter with British authorities. The family has also been unable to file a police complaint in PoK, reportedly fearing that drawing attention to the case could put them at further risk.

Second British National Detained in Mirpur

Separately, Waqas Arif, 38, a British national from Nottingham, has been held in a regional prison in Mirpur city, PoK, for more than two months following the 5 June protests, despite his family’s insistence that he did not take part in the demonstrations. His sister, Sumera, told The Guardian: “Waqas was not involved in any kind of protests. But since my other two brothers were involved and they went for the protests with everybody else, the Pakistani forces along with the Rangers came into my house, and they took my brothers away.”

Sumera further said: “There is no charge. He hasn’t done anything… I think there are thousands of other brothers like him from everywhere who they have put in (prison) so they can minimise the protest power… they have not even been taken to court.” Family efforts to secure Arif’s release through the intervention of the UK’s Foreign Office have so far not produced results, according to reports.

UK Government Response

The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said it has expressed grave concern over the situation in PoK. “FCDO ministers and the UK high commissioner in Islamabad are in touch with their counterparts, and UK travel advice was updated on 7 August and continues to advise against all but essential travel to affected areas,” the office stated.

Broader Context

The violence in PoK, triggered by protests demanding economic relief and democratic reforms, has reportedly claimed dozens of lives and represents one of the most significant civil unrest episodes the region has seen in years. The cases of Akhtar and Arif are among the first to surface involving British nationals with familial ties to the region, highlighting the cross-border human cost of the crackdown. Notably, details of both cases had not been previously reported before The Guardian’s account.

With the FCDO now publicly flagging concern and the UK high commissioner engaged with Pakistani counterparts, diplomatic pressure on Islamabad over the treatment of British nationals in PoK is likely to intensify in the coming weeks.