Exiles in Paris Challenge Pakistan’s Official Defence Day Narrative

Organized by the Dissident Club, the protest drew participants from 12 countries, including France, India, Afghanistan, and the United States. Speakers focused on a grim catalog of grievances, specifically citing enforced disappearances and the use of proxy violence. The event served as a platform for testimonies regarding the military's influence over domestic politics and its role in cross-border conflicts.

Representatives from Afghanistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir detailed the human cost of these policies, attributing over 100 deaths in the disputed territory and 500 civilian casualties in Afghanistan to the Pakistan Army this year alone. The group demanded that the United Nations and European institutions extend the same level of scrutiny to the Pakistani military as they do other state forces.

Beyond the geopolitical accusations, the gathering highlighted the plight of dissidents forced into exile. Taha Siddiqui, the organizer behind the event, underscored how journalists and activists face systemic pressure for challenging the military’s dominance. The protest concluded with a unified call for independent international investigations into the military's record, aiming to shift the global perception of a day traditionally reserved for state-sanctioned military celebration.