Tensions remain high in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as deadly clashes, shutdowns and anti-Pakistan protests continue across multiple cities. The unrest intensified after violent confrontations in Rawalakot left multiple people dead and dozens injured. Protesters have accused Pakistani authorities of excessive force, while Islamabad has signalled a major crackdown on leaders of the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee, including plans to reopen 177 old police cases. The crisis has now expanded beyond the region, with members of the Kashmiri diaspora staging demonstrations in the United Kingdom and calls growing for international scrutiny. India has strongly reacted to the developments, accusing Pakistan of human rights abuses and demanding accountability for the reported violence in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

A ceremonial royal visit is now at the center of a geopolitical and historical debate. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has publicly stated that he would urge King Charles III to return the Kohinoor diamond if the two meet during the monarch’s upcoming visit for the September 11 commemoration at One World Trade Center. The remark, made during a press briefing, has transformed what was expected to be a symbolic diplomatic engagement into a renewed conversation about colonial history and restitution. The Kohinoor diamond, often called the “Mountain of Light”, remains one of the most contested artifacts of the colonial era. Originally mined in India’s Kollur mines, the gem passed through Mughal and Sikh rulers before coming under British control in 1849 following the Treaty of Lahore, signed by Maharaja Duleep Singh after the Second Anglo-Sikh War. WATCH