Authorities deploy 1,505 Islamabad police personnel to AJK amid planned JAAC protest

Authorities have intensified security measures in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) ahead of a planned protest by the Joint Awami Action Committee

ISLAMABAD: Authorities have intensified security measures in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) ahead of a planned protest by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) on June 9 and the upcoming legislative assembly elections scheduled for July 27. As part of the enhanced security arrangements, 1,505 personnel from Islamabad Police have been deployed to the region to help maintain law and order.

According to Islamabad Police spokesperson Taqi Jawad, the deployment was approved by Inspector General of Police Nasir Rizvi under a special security plan. The contingent includes senior officers and field personnel, comprising one deputy inspector general, two senior superintendents of police, four superintendents of police, eight assistant superintendents and deputy superintendents, 16 inspectors, two sub-inspectors, 70 assistant sub-inspectors, and 1,382 constables.

The personnel have been equipped with anti-riot gear, while officers from the Counter-Terrorism Department, Safe City project, Operations Division, and Security Division have also been included in the security arrangements. Reserve forces remain on standby to respond to any unforeseen developments.

The deployment comes shortly after the AJK Election Commission announced that general elections for the legislative assembly will take place on July 27. Election officials stated that preparations are underway to ensure a transparent, impartial, and peaceful electoral process under judicial oversight.

Meanwhile, the debate surrounding the 12 refugee seats in the AJK Legislative Assembly has once again become a major political issue. Defense Minister Khawaja Asif criticized calls for abolishing the seats ahead of the elections, arguing that such demands could disrupt the democratic process. In a statement posted on social media platform X, he urged advocates of reform to present their case before voters during the election campaign rather than attempting to influence the process beforehand.

Asif stressed that electoral matters should be decided through public mandate and questioned efforts to remove representation from Pakistan-based Kashmiri refugee communities. He highlighted the historical sacrifices made by migrants who relocated to Pakistan following the 1947 partition and argued that their political rights should be protected.

The controversy centers on the 12 seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees who migrated from Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir during the conflicts of 1947 and 1965. The 53-member AJK Legislative Assembly allocates six seats to refugees from the Jammu region and six to refugees from the Kashmir Valley. Critics, including the JAAC, have long argued that the current arrangement is outdated and requires reform.

The refugee seat issue was also one of the central demands during the JAAC-led protests that shook the region last year. Those demonstrations, which focused on governance reforms and political representation, turned violent and resulted in the deaths of at least nine people, including three police officers.

Following the unrest, the government and the JAAC reached an agreement to establish a high-level committee to examine the refugee seat issue. However, little progress has been made, and the matter remains unresolved.

In an attempt to build political consensus, the AJK government recently convened an All Parties Conference in Muzaffarabad. While most major political parties attended, both the JAAC and PTI boycotted the meeting, arguing that their concerns had already been ignored.

With tensions rising and the election date approaching, the JAAC has announced a major protest in Muzaffarabad on June 9, with supporters expected to travel from across the region. Authorities remain on high alert as political disagreements over representation and electoral reforms continue to dominate the political landscape in AJK.