Police in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) have accused the banned Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) of waging an organised campaign to destabilise the region following deadly clashes in Rawalakot during the first phase of the AJK elections.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, AJK Police spokesperson SSP Khawar Ali Shaukat alleged that JAAC was pursuing a deliberate agenda to undermine peace, damage the region’s social fabric and create unrest.
According to Shaukat, recent violence contradicted claims that the movement was peaceful. He said armed protesters occupied buildings and opened fire on security personnel using automatic weapons, forcing law enforcement agencies to launch operations in response.
The police spokesperson maintained that authorities had exercised restraint throughout the unrest but said action became necessary after security forces came under armed attack. He described the incidents over the past two days as coordinated assaults carried out from fortified positions using modern weapons.
The clashes erupted in Rawalakot during the first phase of the AJK elections in Mirpur Division, with reports of multiple deaths and injuries circulating on social media. Both security forces and JAAC have reported casualties, while videos shared online showed scenes of violence and unrest.
The unrest follows weeks of heightened tensions across Pakistan-administered Kashmir, where protests over electoral reforms and political rights have escalated into one of the region’s most serious security crises in recent years.