By: Zulfiqar Ali (Kashmir Investigation Team)
MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) cabinet has approved the establishment of a new force named the Azad Kashmir Rangers, consisting of 1,000 personnel.
Official sources told Kashmir Digital that Rs1 billion had been approved for their vehicles, Rs600 million for weapons, and Rs220 million for monthly expenses.
The approval from the cabinet was issued in writing by circulation without holding a formal meeting of ministers.
Although the method used to approve the establishment of Azad Kashmir Rangers is usually used for emergency or minor decisions.
However, this method has been used for making major decisions since the formation of a provisional government headed by Chaudhry Anwarul Haq in April 2023.
As per details, the head of the AK Rangers will be a serving colonel of the Pakistan Army, while in ten districts, a lieutenant colonel will be head of the district force, and the head of each company will be a serving major of the Pakistan Army.
Furthermore, sources said that the force will constitute 25 per cent of the non-state subjects, meaning they will belong to different cities of Pakistan.
The federal government had already approved the establishment of the special force, which will be subordinate to the Azad Kashmir police.
Sources said that the Azad Kashmir government has sought about Rs4 billion from the Shehbaz-led government in this regard.
It should be noted that the Azad Kashmir Home Department issued a notification on August 29, 2024, stating that the establishment of a new force called AK Rangers in the Azad Kashmir Police Department and the creation of 1000 posts of Grade 07, in addition to relaxing the restrictions imposed, has been approved.
Interestingly, this notification was issued only three and a half months after the protest movement by the Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC).
According to the earlier notification, the new force will be part of the police department.
Azad Kashmir already has a police rangers force of 1200 personnel.
People from different walks of life opposed the decision to establish AK Rangers in Azad Kashmir and said that this would further complicate the situation in the region.
