On Friday, a peaceful demonstration organized by over 500 members of the Indian community outside Pakistan’s High Commission in London took a distressing turn when a senior Pakistani military official, Colonel Taimur Rahat, was filmed making a threatening gesture towards protestors. The demonstration was held in response to the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the tragic death of 26 individuals, including 25 Indian nationals and one Nepalese citizen, while on a pilgrimage to the scenic Baisaran meadow. Many others were injured in the brutal, religiously-motivated assault.
AdityaRajKaul (@AdityaRajKaul) shared a viral video of Colonel Rahat, who is the Pakistan Army and Air Advisor in London, making the intimidating gesture while holding a placard featuring Indian Air Force officer Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman. The video sparked widespread outrage online, with condemnation coming from the diaspora and beyond.
Tehseen Poonawalla, a venture capitalist, posted, “What a sick, disgusting man! Never seen this kind of crazy, violent behavior from an army (defense) Attache.” Another user commented, “The throat-slitting gesture is a stark reminder of the lack of civility among Pakistan’s military and diplomatic figures. This isn’t just an isolated act; it mirrors the oppressive tactics used against peaceful protesters in Balochistan, where enforced disappearances and violence are rampant.”
The protestors, waving Indian flags and holding placards denouncing terrorism and demanding justice, directly accused Pakistan of fostering terror groups that target civilians. “We Indians have gathered here to hold a protest against Pakistan. They (Pakistan) have nurtured a terror factory, and because of which 26 of our people were killed in Pahalgam. We have gathered to protest against it,” one protestor told ANI.
Another member of the crowd expressed anger over the embassy’s behavior during the protest. “Today’s protest was a call for justice and accountability. However, in a disturbing and shameful turn of events, officials within the Pakistan Embassy were seen playing loud celebratory music during the protest—a tone-deaf and disgraceful act that added deep insult to an already grievous injury,” the organizer said in a statement.
The organizers condemned the Embassy’s insensitive behavior amid national grief. They demanded that the UK Government summon Pakistan’s High Commissioner for an official explanation and urged Pakistan to publicly condemn the attack and cease support for militant groups. “This is not just insensitivity—it is provocation. The Pakistani authorities have crossed every boundary of diplomacy and humanity. If Pakistan cannot condemn terror, they are complicit in it,” one organizer said.
The incident in London, featuring an on-record Pakistani military official making an explicit threat, adds a new layer of tension to already strained Indo-Pak relations. For British Indians and others gathered in London, the threat felt real, raw, and personal. What was meant to be a solemn protest for the victims of terror instead became a moment that exposed deeper diplomatic fractures—right in the heart of London.
