London/Islamabad – The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced a protest in London on September 20, coinciding with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to the United Kingdom.
The demonstration will take place outside Pakistan’s diplomatic mission, where the premier is scheduled to address the Pakistani community as part of his three-nation tour covering Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Sharif’s London stopover follows a two-day visit to Saudi Arabia, during which Islamabad and Riyadh signed a Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement pledging joint deterrence against any aggression. The deal, hailed by Islamabad as historic, has been described as a turning point in Pakistan’s foreign and defence policy.
Political Protests Abroad
Analysts say PTI’s protest risks overshadowing Pakistan’s recent diplomatic gains, framing the move as political opportunism rather than patriotism. Observers noted it is not the first time PTI-linked groups abroad have acted against Pakistan’s institutions. In March, a PTI-backed lobbying effort in the United States led two Congressmen, Joe Wilson and Jimmy Panetta, to introduce a bill calling for sanctions on Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir.
The London protest is also expected to target the Pakistani delegation accompanying the army chief, highlighting how domestic divisions are spilling into foreign capitals.
Security and National Interest
The protest comes after a series of statements from jailed PTI leader Imran Khan, urging party members to oppose military operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Addressing the United Nations Security Council on September 17, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmed said terrorism originating from Afghanistan remained the “greatest threat” to Pakistan’s security, citing groups including the ISIS-Khorasan, Al-Qaeda, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and the Majeed Brigade.
At a time when Islamabad is raising alarms over cross-border militancy, analysts argue that opposing counterterrorism operations and calling for talks with militants undermines national consensus.
With British Pakistanis making up nearly 2.8% of the UK population, commentators stress the need for unity, warning that dragging domestic disputes onto foreign soil risks damaging Pakistan’s diplomatic and security interests at a critical moment.
