ISLAMABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government has said the security operation launched to clear entry and exit routes blocked by the banned Jammu and Kashmir Awami Action Committee (JAAC) is ongoing and will continue until all routes are reopened and normal life is restored across the region.
Speaking at a press conference, AJK Home Secretary Chaudhry Guftar Hussain said the operation would continue until all roads were reopened, adding that the government remained committed to protecting lives, safeguarding public property and ensuring the uninterrupted functioning of economic, educational and commercial activities.
He stressed that the administration would not tolerate attempts to disrupt public life or intimidate state institutions, warning that those responsible for creating unrest would face strict legal action.
Providing details of the security situation, Hussain said violence erupted in Rawalakot after JAAC miscreants opened fire as an attempt to spread fear and provoke residents. According to the home secretary, police responding to the incident came under attack from armed individuals using automatic weapons and improvised explosive devices.
A police constable was martyred, and eight other police personnel and a member of the Federal Constabulary were injured on Tuesday after armed members of the banned Joint Awami Action Committee opened fire on security forces in the Poonch area of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
The incident occurred during a clearance operation in the Bethak area of Poonch Division, where security personnel came under fire.
The assassinated constable was identified as Aqib of the Mirpur Traffic Police. The injured officer, Federal Constabulary Constable Shahzad, was taken for medical treatment.
The Home Secretary said Rangers were subsequently deployed to assist police in clearing the area. He said the armed group possessed sophisticated weapons, making a security operation unavoidable.
One Rangers personnel was martyred on Tuesday after armed members of the banned Joint Awami Action Committee attacked security forces in Rawalakot city of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
The home secretary also stated that the banned JAAC leader Khwaja Mehran had issued another 48-hour ultimatum to shut down all entry points into AJK. However, he maintained that the group no longer enjoyed widespread public backing and lacked the capacity to bring the region to a standstill. He said the JAAC was attempting to create panic through threats and misinformation.
According to the government, disruptions linked to the banned outfit have inflicted financial losses worth billions of rupees, severely affecting tourism, trade and transport across the territory. Hussain also announced that banking services had been fully restored following what he described as timely government intervention.
Meanwhile, AJK’s education secretary said authorities had instructed educational institutions to prevent students from participating in violent protests, alleging that the banned organisation was attempting to involve women, children and students in demonstrations.
He further confirmed that all higher educational institutions, including universities and medical colleges, resumed classes on Tuesday, saying the overwhelming majority of people in AJK desired peace, stability and continued development.
The latest ongoing operation comes amid weeks of heightened tensions following the government’s decision to outlaw the JAAC. On June 5, the AJK administration declared the organisation a proscribed group after it announced a region-wide strike. A day later, security forces launched a crackdown, detaining numerous leaders, activists and miscreants.
Earlier this week, a former senior member of the banned organisation urged its leadership to withdraw plans for a long march and sit-in at Rawalakot, arguing that the prolonged agitation had caused significant hardship in Poonch.
Last Saturday, at least one person was killed and several others were injured during clashes between miscreants, posing as protesters, and law enforcement personnel on the Arja-Rawalakot road.
