MUZAFFARABAD/ ISLAMABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government has initiated formal legal proceedings against banned Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) leaders Shaukat Nawaz Mir and Khawaja Mehran Arshad over allegations of sedition and anti-state activities.
Muzaffarabad Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) has been tasked with completing investigations against Mir under Section 124-A of the AJK Penal Code, while Mirpur SSP will probe allegations against Arshad.
After reviewing available material, the AJK Home Department said that the allegations warranted further investigation under the law.
According to the Home Department, investigations have been ordered into alleged criminal speeches, writings, publications and electronic communications.
The department further instructed relevant district police chiefs to complete investigations under Section 196 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and submit challans before the relevant courts.
The AJK government declared the JAAC a proscribed organisation under anti-terrorism laws on June 5, saying the group was “engaged in terrorism, acting in a manner prejudicial to the peace and security of the State”.
Meanwhile, a partial strike was observed in various AJK areas following the call of the banned JAAC — some shops remained closed while others stayed open.
In Kotli, clashes took place between police and protesters at various locations. Several people were injured due to teargas shelling and stone-throwing.
Meanwhile, a partial strike was observed in various AJK areas following the call of the banned JAAC — some shops remained closed while others stayed open.
In Kotli, clashes took place between police and protesters at various locations. Several people were injured due to teargas shelling and stone-throwing
On Monday, clashes in Rawalakot left several security personnel and protesters injured. Some of the injured were stated to be in critical condition.
The fresh directives from the AJK Home Department follow an alleged leaked audio recording involving Mir and Arshad and violent incidents reported in Rawalakot.
Separately, the AJK Home Department issued a list of four wanted individuals linked to the banned JAAC.
The notification named Mir, Arshad, Umar Nazir Kashmiri and Sardar Aman Khan.
The notification announced a reward of Rs10 million for information leading to the arrest of the wanted individuals, saying the identity of informants would remain confidential. The AJK IGP was directed to ensure immediate implementation of the reward scheme.
Meanwhile, five members of the JAAC have announced their disassociation from the banned movement.
Syed Faisal Gilani, Ehsan Shabbir Shani, Mohsin Khalil, Shabir Nagyalvi and Raja Sultan dissociated from the proscribed JAAC, saying they do not agree with its policies and actions.
Separately, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry said that the situation in AJK was under control and that authorities were ensuring the protection of lives and property. The banned organisation is being exposed, he told journalists in Islamabad, saying that the federal government had begun implementing the banned JAAC’s demands in a sincere manner. Despite progress on those demands, the developments suggested that JAAC’s “objective is something else”, Chaudhry added. He also maintained that conditions across the AJK, including in Rawalakot, were normal and under control. Responding to a question about reported deaths during the recent protests, the state minister said that a detailed press release would be issued regarding the death toll.
Talal Chaudhry reacted strongly to an alleged audio leak purportedly involving a central leader of the banned JAAC, warning that the recording could carry severe national security implications if its authenticity is confirmed.
The controversy centres on an audio recording of a telephone conversation allegedly held between Shaukat Nawaz Mir, a key figure in the banned organisation, and an individual identified as Khawaja Mehran. While official authorities have noted that the authenticity of the purported audio leak has not yet been independently verified, government officials are treating the development with great gravity.
Speaking on the matter, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry stated that, while multiple pieces of evidence regarding the activities of the banned action committee were already available to the state, this latest audio leak represents an extremely serious matter. He stressed the urgent need for a thorough, comprehensive, and impartial investigation into the recording, confirming that the relevant state institutions would initiate a formal inquiry on an urgent basis.
Echoing these concerns, Minister of State for Law Barrister Aqeel Malik observed that the alleged audio has brought several critical facts to light. He noted that if the recording is verified as authentic, it would provide strong, actionable justification for state measures against the organization. Barrister Malik further emphasised that official confirmation of the audio would expose the group’s actual intentions and its alleged illicit activities to the public.
Meanwhile, in an intelligence-based operation in the Challa area of Muzaffarabad, five suspects have been arrested.
According to security sources, laptops, mobile phones and other communication devices were recovered from the arrested individuals. Preliminary investigations have revealed suspicious contacts and sensitive material on the digital devices.
Security sources further stated that during interrogation, on the identification of one suspect, a large cache of weapons was also recovered, including seven automatic weapons, multiple grenades and other combat equipment.
According to sources, maps of sensitive installations and locations, along with documents and records, were also recovered from the suspects.
Meanwhile, a source in the federal cabinet told The News, citing intelligence reports, that the protest was being funded from certain Kashmiri nationals settled in a foreign country.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the source said, “The intelligence assessment points to dubious funding. These external elements are creating chaos and promoting an adversarial agenda.”
The sources said the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), a major stakeholder in the regional setup, also stepped in to break the impasse by proposing reduction in the number of reserved refugee seats by half, but the protesters rejected the proposal.
“No one from their side is ready to negotiate or talk,” the source lamented.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) stated: “The PTI strongly condemns the excessive use of force by authorities against peaceful protesters associated with the (banned) JAAC.” It was emphasised that the AJK people have legitimate grievances regarding economic rights, electricity tariffs, subsidies, political representation and the abolition of reserved seats that favour outsiders at the expense of locals. Instead of addressing these issues through dialogue and meaningful reforms, the current setup in the AJK has resorted to bans, crackdowns, communication blackouts and lethal force, turning a civic movement into a bloody confrontation. The PTI contended that this violence is a direct outcome of the incompetent and insensitive governance imposed on the AJK by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)-led administration and its allies. “Their policies of economic exploitation, elite privileges and failure to deliver basic relief have pushed the resilient AJK people to the brink. The PTI holds the PPP and its coalition partners fully responsible for the prevailing crisis of governance in the region. The PTI fully understands the unique sensitivity of the Kashmir region,” it was noted.
The PTI demanded end to the crackdown, lifting of restrictions, and the formation of a neutral inquiry into the recent violence.
