Pakistan summons UK envoy over threats against army chief at PTI protest

RNN TV (Web Desk) — Pakistan has formally lodged a protest with the United Kingdom after a video circulating on social media showed threats and incendiary slogans directed at Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir during a protest outside the Pakistan Consulate in Bradford.

According to sources, the Foreign Office on Friday summoned the British acting high commissioner in Islamabad and handed over a demarche, conveying serious concern over the incident and seeking action against those involved.

The protest, held two days ago, was organised by supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). A video shared on PTI London’s official X (formerly Twitter) account showed demonstrators chanting slogans against the army chief, while one speaker was seen allegedly issuing threats, including remarks suggesting a car bomb attack.

In its written protest, Pakistan stated that British soil had been used to incite violence against a serving field marshal of the Pakistan Army, calling the act unacceptable and dangerous. Islamabad urged the UK government to investigate the matter and take appropriate action against what it described as “mischievous elements”.

The Foreign Office stressed that freedom of expression should not be used as a cover for threats of violence or hate speech, and expressed the expectation that the UK would uphold its laws to prevent such acts, the sources said.