ISLAMABAD: Fresh concerns surrounding the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) have intensified after a leaked audio recording surfaced, revealing discussions involving senior members on escalating unrest and disrupting essential services.
The banned group has increasingly been linked to disruptive activities across several towns and cities in AJK. It is accused of enforcing strikes, blocking roads, damaging public and private property, and carrying out attacks that have killed security personnel and civilians.
The leaked audio, said to feature conversations between Advocate Shah Nawaz and Majid Ali, who are described as key figures within the committee, contains discussions on strategies aimed at worsening the prevailing situation.
Voices heard in the recording discuss plans to block roads and halt the functioning of hospitals, raising concerns about the potential impact on ordinary citizens.
The recording also captures conversations about intimidating law enforcement agencies and using provocative slogans to mobilise supporters and inflame tensions.
In another segment, one participant is heard advising against voluntary arrests and encouraging resistance against state authorities.
Security and political analysts say the latest revelations have reinforced concerns over the activities of the banned organisation.
Experts contend that the committee’s actions have increasingly alienated residents of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, many of whom now recognise what they describe as the group’s disruptive and anti-state agenda.
Analysts further maintain that, in light of attempts to foment instability, a significant section of the Kashmiri public supports the government’s decision to impose restrictions on the organisation and endorses measures aimed at maintaining law and order.
Authorities have not yet issued an official statement regarding the authenticity of the audio recording, and independent verification of its contents remains pending.
Earlier on Wednesday, non-partisan elders from across Azad Jammu and Kashmir submitted a set of demands to the now proscribed JAAC, urging the immediate surrender of individuals involved in recent violent incidents in various parts of the region, including Rawalakot, Kotli, and Khai Gala, where several law enforcement personnel and civilians were killed and public property was extensively damaged.
In a statement, the non-partisan elders demanded that all individuals involved in the Rawalakot attack, especially the 14 persons accused of severely torturing and killing a police sub-inspector and two constables, 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 elders also proposed internal restructuring of the Joint Awami Action Committee, which is currently proscribed, suggesting that its core committee be reduced from 33 to 10 members, with a single empowered representative designated to handle negotiations and ensure compliance with agreed terms.
It is noted that the JAAC has been proscribed by the government over its involvement in unlawful and terrorism-related activities.
