MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): The State of Azad Jammu and Kashmir has suffered a total loss of Rs 15 billion during the last month due to the recent protest activities of the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), the AJK government’s Information Secretary said.
Addressing a press conference along with AJK Police Spokesperson DIG Irfan Masood Kashfi, Information Secretary Muhammad Rashid Hanif alleged that the banned Action Committee attempted to destroy the peace in the region through violent acts, adding that “miscreants and sub-nationalist elements” have hijacked the public rights movement.
He claimed that people were being misled into believing that failure to support strike calls would result in the loss of their rights and government benefits. He said the AJK government had already provided significant public relief through subsidized flour and electricity.
The government spokesperson further said that the banned committee is attempting to disrupt the upcoming elections in the region and accused its leadership of delivering speeches that incited unrest and the soldiers of the Pakistan Army to revolt.
’79 FIRs have been registered’
The information secretary said that 79 FIRs have been registered against leaders and activists associated with the banned organization.
He also alleged that the group had links with anti-state elements abroad and claimed it was receiving support from individuals promoting anti-Pakistan narratives.
“The banned committee is taking help from anti-national elements like Amjad Ayub Mirza, who is using Kashmiris in Europe against Pakistan with Indian funding,” he said.
The government official further added that the committee’s strike call for July 5 was rejected by traders and the public, adding that the people of Azad Kashmir preferred economic stability over unrest.
During the press conference, he listed several incidents of alleged violence, attacks on government officials, damage to public property, and assaults on law enforcement personnel, claiming these incidents were linked to the banned organization.
He also accused the group of using women, children, and students during protests, spreading misinformation through old and AI-generated content on social media, collecting illegal donations, and attempting to create an anti-state narrative.
Highlighting the previous violent incidents by JAAC, the secretary said that in May 2023, a mob attacked the office of Assistant Commissioner Dadyal and burnt a government vehicle.
“Sub-Inspector Adnan Qureshi was shot dead in Islamgarh, AC Khuiratta’s vehicle was burnt, and weapons were snatched from security personnel,” he added.
“Furthermore, in November 2024, Islamabad Police personnel were taken hostage, their uniforms were removed, and they were subjected to severe torture in Palak, Mirpur”
In addition, he added that Assistant Commissioner Amjad Qadir was attacked with a dagger in Chamyati, Dhirkot, while SP Bagh Riaz Mughal and other officials were taken hostage and tortured.
The Information Secretary further claimed that the Action Committee miscreants martyred three policemen, and two civilians were martyred in a firing in Dhirkot, cut down hundreds of trees to block roads, and looted food trucks by forcibly closing the market in Hijira.
He said that “ringleader Umar Nazir Kashmiri openly threatened shopkeepers with consequences, the banned committee violated the sanctity of mosques and used them for its announcements, and an anti-government narrative is being created by posting old photos of Gaza and occupied Kashmir on social media.”
The Information Secretary urged the public to rely on verified information from credible sources and avoid sharing unverified content on social media.
