MIRPUR: Law enforcement authorities raided the residence of banned Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) leader Mehran Arshad Khawaja in Dadyal tehsil of Mirpur district, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and recovered a drone, weapons and other suspicious items during the operation.
The raid was carried out following reports of suspected activities linked to the premises, officials said. During the operation, Shahid Aslam, an employee of Mehran Arshad Khawaja, was taken into custody for questioning.
Officials said that a drone, a 12-bore shotgun, a pistol, and a police helmet – snatched from Islamabad Police – were recovered from the house, along with other items being examined by investigators.
The detained employee of Mehran Arshad Khawaja said in his statement that two ambulances were brought to the residence to transport equipment ahead of the Joint Awami Action Committee sit-in.
The employee told investigators that weapons, ammunition, and other materials were secretly transported to Muzaffarabad using the ambulances.
The employee further alleged that Mehran had taken five Kalashnikov rifles, two 12-bore shotguns, and a large quantity of ammunition with him. He also said that stones, glass bottles, and slingshots were used during the protest.
🚨 JOINT FRAUDI ACTION COMMITTEE EXPOSED
Law enforcement agencies raided the home of Joint Fraud Action Committee (JAAC) member Khawaja Mehran in Dadyal, Mirpur, following reports of suspicious activities.
During the search, authorities recovered a drone, a 12-bore gun, a… pic.twitter.com/dJKBhv3diL
— Zardan Sangzi (@ZardanSi) June 17, 2026
According to the employee’s statement, a substantial amount of cash, including funds provided by another JAAC leader, Latif Dar, was also transported.
The employee said that police gun shells – seized during the September 29 long march – were moved to Muzaffarabad through the ambulances. He further claimed that approximately two kilograms of hashish had been taken to the protest site.
Investigators are also examining claims that several individuals with links to criminal and narcotics networks were present with Mehran during the protest activities.
Earlier, the Azad Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday announced a reward of Rs 10 million for information leading to the arrest of four wanted leaders of the JAAC.
According to an official notification, the reward will be granted to any individual who provides information resulting in the arrest of the wanted persons. Authorities also assured that the identity of the informant would be kept strictly confidential.
The four individuals named in the notification are Shaukat Nawaz Mir, Umar Nazir Kashmiri, Mehran Arshad Khawaja and Sardar Aman.
Earlier on Wednesday, elders from across Azad Jammu and Kashmir have submitted a set of demands to banned JAAC, calling for the immediate surrender before the law of individuals involved in recent violent incidents in various parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, including Rawalakot, Kotli and Khai Gala, in which several personnel of law enforcement agencies and innocent civilians were martyred and significant damage was caused to public property.
In a statement, the non-partisan elders demanded that all violent elements involved in the Rawalakot attack, especially the 14 persons responsible for the torture and killing of a police sub-inspector and two constables, should be handed over to law enforcement immediately.
The statement also called for the handover of suspects involved in a firing incident in Kotli, in which two Rangers personnel were killed, as well as those accused of attacking a police checkpoint in Khai Gala during the night between 5 and 6 June. It stressed that all accused would retain the right to defend themselves in judicial proceedings.
In addition, the elders demanded legal action against individuals involved in cutting trees, damaging roads, and blocking transportation routes, which they said had contributed to shortages of essential goods for the public.
They cautioned against turning ongoing long march activities into armed confrontation with state institutions, urging political actors to pursue their demands strictly through constitutional and legal channels.
The statement further called for action against individuals inciting hatred against citizens of Azad Jammu and Kashmir by labelling them as facilitators, saying such practices should be curbed.
