AJK officials allege militants among JAAC protesters

Authorities in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) have alleged that militants linked to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban

Authorities in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) have alleged that militants linked to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were present among protesters associated with the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), amid heightened tensions in the region.

AJK Information Secretary Muhammad Rashid Hanif said on Tuesday that the presence of armed individuals and suspected militants had raised serious security concerns as the region prepared for the next phases of its electoral process.

Hanif said the government’s primary responsibility was to preserve law and order while ensuring the continuation of the democratic process. He claimed that some individuals involved in the demonstrations were not ordinary protesters but had links with militant groups.

During his briefing, the official presented footage showing masked and armed men positioned on the roof of a building. He alleged that militant elements were attempting to exploit ordinary citizens and urged residents to keep away from individuals involved in violence.

Hanif further claimed that women and children were being used as human shields. He also rejected social media claims portraying the protests as solely a human rights movement, saying state institutions had information about the alleged presence of militants and other armed groups.

AJK police spokesperson and Deputy Inspector General Irfan Kashfi said law enforcement agencies would respond to armed individuals as they would to other militant threats.

According to Kashfi, the suspects were carrying sophisticated weapons, including automatic firearms, M-4 rifles, submachine guns and AK-47s. He said initial information also suggested that snipers had been involved in attacks on security personnel.

The police official said one police officer had been killed while five others sustained injuries during clashes. He added that authorities had arrested a suspected individual in Rawalakot and recovered a military-grade weapon from his possession. Initial information suggested that the suspect was a foreign national and had allegedly been operating as a sniper.

Kashfi maintained that security personnel were responding in self-defence and to protect civilians. Authorities were also investigating individuals suspected of facilitating the alleged militants.

AJK Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore separately accused armed protesters of deliberately creating unrest and said security personnel had been targeted from strategic positions.

He urged residents to avoid the demonstrations, alleging that the unrest was intended to provoke a wider confrontation during the election period.

Tensions between the AJK administration and the JAAC have intensified over the past month. The committee has raised several demands, including a proposal to abolish 12 seats in the AJK Legislative Assembly.