PoK protest: Kashmiri diaspora marches in Bologna, Italy, over 93 civilian deaths
Synopsis
Thousands of Kashmiris marched in Bologna, Italy, as a human rights body documented 93 civilian deaths in PoK between June and August. With British MPs now on record calling the situation 'deeply alarming' and demanding independent investigations, international pressure on Pakistan over its conduct in PoK is reaching a new threshold.
Key Takeaways
Thousands of Kashmiri diaspora members marched in Bologna, Italy on 10 August , condemning killings by Pakistani forces in PoK .
The Jammu Kashmir Human Rights Observatory (JKHRO) recorded 93 civilian deaths in PoK between 5 June and 5 August .
The Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) appealed to the international community to act against what it called a 'genocide' of unarmed civilians.
A separate protest was held outside the Pakistani Consulate in Bradford, UK , with participants including women, children, and the elderly.
British MPs Liam Byrne and Adnan Hussain called the situation 'deeply alarming' and demanded a full, independent investigation into use of force.
Thousands of members of the Kashmiri diaspora staged a protest march in Bologna, Italy, on 10 August, condemning the killings of innocent civilians by Pakistani forces in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) amid escalating unrest in the region. The demonstration is among the latest in a growing wave of international protests by Kashmiri diaspora groups demanding accountability from Islamabad.
What Happened in Bologna
Protesters raised slogans against Pakistani forces and expressed solidarity with the civil society group Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC). The JAAC, posting on social media platform X, said Kashmiris in Italy staged a 'strong protest' and appealed to the international community to raise their voice against what it described as the 'genocide' of unarmed civilians by Pakistani forces. 'Peaceful demonstrators are only demanding their basic rights,' the JAAC stated.
The Scale of Casualties on Record
PoK-based human rights body, the Jammu Kashmir Human Rights Observatory (JKHRO), has recorded 93 civilian deaths during the escalating unrest in the occupied territory between 5 June and 5 August. The figures, according to the monitoring organisation, reflect violence against civilians during a period of intensifying crackdowns by Pakistani security forces.
Bradford Protest and British Parliamentary Concern
Last week, several members of the Kashmiri diaspora also staged a protest outside the Pakistani Consulate in Bradford, United Kingdom, with demonstrators — including elderly people, women, and children — carrying placards reading 'Pakistan Stop Brutalities,' 'Pakistan Stop Killing Kashmiris in Rawalakot,' and 'We Stand with Awami Action Committee.'
Multiple British parliamentarians have since voiced grave concern. British Labour Party MP Liam Byrne said reports of live fire being used against peaceful protesters in PoK are 'deeply alarming.' Another British MP, Adnan Hussain, called the killing of civilians in PoK a 'tragedy' and said that any use of excessive or unlawful force by Pakistani authorities 'must be subject to a full, independent, and transparent investigation.'
A Growing International Movement
This comes amid a broader pattern of diaspora-led mobilisation across Europe and the United Kingdom, with protesters consistently demanding international intervention over what they characterise as a brutal crackdown by Pakistani authorities in PoK. Notably, the protests have drawn participants across age groups and have been accompanied by formal statements from elected legislators in the UK — a sign that the issue is gaining traction in Western political circles beyond community advocacy.
Whether these demonstrations translate into formal diplomatic pressure on Pakistan remains to be seen, but the frequency and geographic spread of protests signal that the situation in PoK is drawing sustained international scrutiny.
Point of View
Now backed by elected legislators in the UK. The JKHRO's figure of 93 civilian deaths in just two months is a significant data point that mainstream coverage has largely underplayed. The real question is whether Western governments, beyond individual MPs, will translate these concerns into formal diplomatic channels — or whether Pakistan will continue to face rhetorical criticism without material consequence. The JAAC's use of the word 'genocide' is politically charged and unverified by independent international bodies, a distinction that matters enormously if this issue is to gain credibility at the UN level.
NationPress
10 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Kashmiri diaspora members protest in Bologna, Italy?
Kashmiri diaspora members marched in Bologna on 10 August to condemn what they described as the killing of innocent civilians by Pakistani forces in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The protest was held in solidarity with the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), which has been demanding basic rights for civilians in the region.
How many civilian deaths have been recorded in PoK recently?
The Jammu Kashmir Human Rights Observatory (JKHRO), a PoK-based human rights monitoring body, recorded 93 civilian deaths during the escalating unrest in the occupied territory between 5 June and 5 August. The figures relate to violence attributed to Pakistani security forces' operations in the region.
What is the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC)?
The Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) is a civil society group based in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir that has been at the forefront of protests demanding basic rights for civilians. It has been appealing to the international community to intervene over what it calls a brutal crackdown by Pakistani authorities.
What have British MPs said about the situation in PoK?
British Labour Party MP Liam Byrne said reports of live fire being used against peaceful protesters in PoK are 'deeply alarming.' MP Adnan Hussain called civilian killings a 'tragedy' and demanded a full, independent, and transparent investigation into any use of excessive or unlawful force by Pakistani authorities.
Where else have Kashmiri diaspora protests taken place?
Beyond Bologna, Italy, a notable protest was held outside the Pakistani Consulate in Bradford, United Kingdom, last week. Demonstrators carried placards reading 'Pakistan Stop Brutalities' and 'Pakistan Stop Killing Kashmiris in Rawalakot,' with participants spanning elderly citizens, women, and children.
