PTI deletes X post on ‘provocative’ remarks against CDF Munir during Bradford protest

• PTI says it remains firmly committed to non-violence.
• PTI activist issued threats to CDF Munir in Bradford.
• Demarche handed to UK’s acting head of mission.
  

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) UK chapter has removed a post on X featuring a video containing provocative remarks against Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir during a PTI protest held outside the Pakistani consulate in Bradford.

In a post on X, the party clarified that it does not endorse any unlawful actions and urged “independent citizens” to “measure their remarks to avoid any misunderstandings.”

The clarification comes a day after FO spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi confirmed Brackly News’ report, saying UK Acting Head of Mission Matt Cannell was handed the demarche — a protest registered through diplomatic channels — over the former ruling party’s event abroad.

In a video uploaded by the “UKPTIOFFICIAL” account, a woman speaker — during the event held earlier this week — can be heard making a car bomb violence threat against Field Marshal Munir, similar to the plane blast that took the life of General Zia ul Haq nearly three decades ago.

In a post on X early on Saturday, PTI UK said it had removed a video from the recent Bradford protest featuring a citizen’s metaphorical remarks against military leadership.

“Although we do not believe the individual incited violence, the post was deleted in an abundance of caution to prevent potential misunderstanding, and legal safeguarding of the individual and her rights,” the party in the social media post.

It further added: “Public frustration is high due to Imran Khan and Bushra Khan’s prolonged isolation in inhumane and undignified prison conditions, as endorsed by the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture. Concerns about their health and well-being are real and the cause of anxiety and anguish for his family, party members, and millions of supporters all around the world.

“While this global concern is understandable and completely valid, PTI does not endorse unlawful behaviour of any kind. Independent citizens are also advised to measure their remarks to avoid any misunderstandings.

“PTI remains firmly committed to non-violence and the rule of law, in accordance with the guidance of Imran Khan,” it added.

Pakistan issues demarche to UK

The Foreign Office said on Friday it had issued a demarche to the United Kingdom’s envoy in Islamabad over threats made against Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Asim Munir during a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest outside the Pakistani consulate in Bradford.

According to sources, the political party’s official account was used to mobilise protesters in the United Kingdom. “During the protest, demonstrators used highly provocative and objectionable language against the CDF.”

The sources said the Pakistani government had taken serious notice of the threats issued from British soil and stressed that the UK should not allow its territory to be used to destabilise Pakistan.

Pakistan hopes, the sources said, that the British authorities will take strict action against such miscreants and hold them accountable under the law.

According to sources, the United Kingdom’s Deputy Head of Mission, Cannell, was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at around 2pm as British High Commissioner Jane Marriott was not present in the country.

Moments later, a British High Commission spokesperson maintained that the UK police and prosecutors operate independently of government.

“Where a foreign government believes a crime has been committed, they should provide all relevant material to their UK police liaison,” the spokesperson said.

“Any material that appears to break UK law will be reviewed by the police and may lead to a criminal investigation,” it added.

Hours before the demarche, the Pakistan government handed over the video and its transcript to the UK authorities — in Islamabad and London — expressing “grave concern regarding a serious and unprecedented misuse of British territory for activities that amount to incitement to terrorism, violence, and internal destabilisation of a sovereign state”.

The letter pointed out that the official social media account of PTI UK has circulated video material in which individuals, while physically present in the United Kingdom, are openly calling for the assassination of Field Marshal Munir.

“This content is neither rhetorical nor political. It constitutes explicit incitement to murder and the glorification of violence against the senior military leadership of a UN Member State.”

Equally alarming is that this messaging is deliberately amplified to audiences inside Pakistan, with the clear intent of provoking unrest, street violence, and confrontation with state institutions, the letter mentioned.

It added that PTI-linked platforms operating from the UK have repeatedly issued calls encouraging disorder, agitation, and violent mobilisation within Pakistan — effectively seeking to instigate internal violence from abroad while remaining beyond domestic accountability.

The letter states that the actions violated multiple international laws and that Pakistan has, over the years, raised concerns regarding the repeated use of UK territory by individuals and groups engaged in militancy, separatism, and violent agitation against Pakistan.

“While such matters have strained bilateral confidence in the past, the present incident represents a qualitative escalation: the open call for assassination combined with sustained incitement to violence and unrest inside Pakistan.”

“Freedom of expression does not include the freedom to incite murder or civil violence. Political activism does not extend to conspiracy or encouragement of bloodshed. Political asylum does not confer immunity to promote terrorism or destabilisation abroad.”