RAWALAKOT (Kashmir English): Reports of theft, vandalism, and looting of commercial properties have emerged from Rawalakot following several days of unrest and a deteriorating law and order situation in the city and surrounding areas due to the ongoing protest of the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC).
According to local reports and videos circulating on social media, unidentified individuals allegedly took advantage of the prevailing instability to target businesses during the night, causing concern among traders and residents.
Footage shared online appears to show damage inside a local bakery, while members of the business community claim that multiple shops, including jewellery stores, general stores, and other commercial establishments, have been targeted in different parts of the city.
Traders allege that valuables, cash, and merchandise worth millions of rupees have been stolen after locks were broken and properties were vandalized. However, the full extent of the losses has yet to be independently verified.
Local shopkeepers say that under the guise of protests, JAAC miscreants have carried out thefts and robberies, further worsening the challenges faced by businesses already affected by prolonged closures and disruptions.
Traders’ organizations and civil society have demanded that the administration and law enforcement agencies immediately identify these thieves and robbers and take action against them under strict provisions of anti-terrorism and theft so that the lives and property of citizens can be ensured.
Moreover, the Governments of Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) have reportedly intensified action against the Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), which was recently declared a proscribed organization under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
According to sources, federal and state authorities have decided to freeze the national identity cards, passports, and bank accounts of individuals found to be involved in supporting or facilitating the proscribed group.
The reported measures are intended to restrict the organization’s alleged financial networks and monitor activities linked to its operations.
