Pro-Pak and Kashmiri nationalist groups clash in UK; activists demand independence of PoK from Pakistani rule

Consequent to the ongoing confrontation between overseas Pakistanis and Kashmir secessionist (Nationalist) organisations over the Kashmir issue in the UK, a major scuffle occurred during a protest demonstration in front of Consulate General of India's office in Birmingham. The incident occurred on August 15 and resulted in the scuffle between the pro-Pakistani and the Kashmiri nationalist groups.

The British Kashmiri group led by Raja Qadri, Altaf Hussain, Hassan Khawaja, and Khadim Hussain confronted Shah Nawaz of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), representing overseas Pakistanis in the UK's Birmingham.

The Kashmiri nationalists have accused the pro-Pakistan group of giving a 'Pakistani colour 'to the 'indigenous' Kashmir movement and raised their voice against the forcible occupation of Kashmir by Pakistan.

The Shah Nawaz group has, in turn, objected to slogans like "Foreign Forces Go Back from Kashmir" (as it will include both forces), ‘Zabri Naate tod do, Kashmir hamaara chord do’, and urged against shouting slogans on sovereignty (Khudmukhtiyari).

The Nationalists objected to slogans by the PPP-led group at the behest of Pakistan.