PTI UK removes controversial X post about Bradford protest

A provocative video by the PTI UK, that included violent remarks against the country’s military leadership led the Foreign Office to issue a demarche against the acting British high commissioner Matt Cannell.

The video, originally posted on PTI UK’s official X account on December 23, showed participants at a protest outside the Pakistani consulate in Bradford making provocative statements, including threats directed at military leadership. The post was deleted soon after. 

The demarch issued to Matt Cannell demands the UK to identify, arrest, investigate and prosecute those responsible for issuing direct threats from British soil.

The FO complaint stressed that such actions are unacceptable and must be addressed under UK law. The UK High Commission responded that Pakistan should share evidence with British police, who will review any material that is against the UK legislation and could lead to a criminal investigation. 

Tweet by PTI UK

PTI UK, later posted on X, saying that the deleted video featured “metaphorical remarks” by an independent citizen and claimed it does not endorse unlawful behaviour. Furthermore, it urged individuals to be cautious with their language to avoid misunderstandings.

The UK chapter of PTI also raised concerns about the detention conditions of PTI leader Imran Khan and his wife, citing international attention to their treatment. 

In Pakistan, the state ministers told the media that the government had written to British authorities seeking legal action over the incident. Former PTI figures also urged the party to condemn the remarks clearly to avoid damaging Pakistan-UK relations. 

The episode comes amid broader tensions between the Pakistani government, its military, and PTI activists who are concerned due to Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi’s prolonged isolation in inhumane and undignified prison conditions.