Pakistan’s Defence Day narrative challenged in Paris, Army slammed for human-rights abuses

On 7 September 2026, an international gathering was held outside the Pakistani Embassy in Paris to mark Pakistan’s Defence Day. The event, organized by the Dissident Club—a group founded by exiled Pakistani journalist Taha Siddiqui—attracted participants from 12 countries, including France, Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Switzerland and the United States.

Speakers at the gathering presented an alternative account of the Pakistani military’s record, focusing on allegations of enforced disappearances, collective punishment, proxy violence and other human‑rights violations. Afghan and Pakistani participants discussed military operations and policies they said have contributed to insecurity and political instability in Pakistan‑occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) and Afghanistan. Indian speakers highlighted the civilian cost of decades of conflict and alleged support for armed groups.

Attendees called for independent investigations into the allegations and urged European institutions, the United Nations and international human‑rights organisations to scrutinise the claims with the same seriousness applied to abuses attributed to other state forces. Organisers also drew attention to the situation of journalists, activists and political critics who, according to them, have faced pressure and been forced into exile because of their opposition to Pakistan’s military establishment.

According to the organisers, more than 100 people were killed by security forces in PoJK and over 500 civilians were killed in Afghanistan by the Pakistan Army this year. These figures were presented as part of a broader call for international scrutiny of the Pakistani military’s conduct.

The gathering was deliberately scheduled for 6 September, the day Pakistan commemorates Defence Day in remembrance of the 1965 war and honours its armed forces.

While the event was framed as a critique of the official narrative of military valor, it also highlighted concerns about human‑rights abuses and the broader impact of military policies on regional stability.

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Article and image source: afghanistansun.com