Key Takeaways
- Two security personnel and seven activists of the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) died during clashes.
- The incidents occurred on Tuesday in Poonch division, a day before JAAC’s planned ‘long march’ towards Muzaffarabad.
- AJK government vows to clear all obstacles preventing free movement of people and goods.
In a series of violent clashes between protesters and law enforcers in Poonch division, at least two security personnel and seven activists of the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) lost their lives. The incidents took place on Tuesday, just one day before the planned ‘long march’ towards Muzaffarabad by the opposition group.
The first confrontation occurred in Mutyalmera, where law enforcement personnel raided a house following intelligence about weapons and ammunition allegedly stored there. However, they encountered resistance from JAAC supporters, leading to an exchange of fire. Poonch Divisional Commissioner Sardar Waheed Khan confirmed that one protester was killed, while a Rangers man lost his life in the clash.
The second incident took place in Baloch tehsil of Sudhnoti district, where protesters blocked a convoy of law enforcement personnel heading towards Trarkhal. Hundreds of protesters, some armed, pelted the convoy with stones, triggering violent clashes. The Poonch Divisional Commissioner reported that one policeman was martyred and at least seven protesters lost their lives.
AJK police stated that operatives of the proscribed JAAC had erected blockades along the Kotli-Trarkhal highway, disrupting traffic and essential supplies. They launched a clearance operation to reopen the highway and restore movement when ‘armed groups’ opened fire on security personnel in Baithak Baloch. At least one constable was martyred, while around eight other law enforcers and two Public Works Department employees suffered injuries.
In response to these incidents, AJK Special Home Secretary Chaudhry Guftar Hussain issued a statement saying that the operation had been launched to remove road blockades erected by the proscribed JAAC at various entry and exit points of the region. He vowed to ensure the uninterrupted movement of traffic and essential supplies.
The government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) has vowed to clear all obstacles preventing the free movement of people and goods in the region, a day after these violent clashes. The incidents have heightened tensions between law enforcers and JAAC supporters, with the latter planning a ‘long march’ towards Muzaffarabad on Wednesday.
The AJK police continue their operations to clear blockades and restore normalcy. However, the situation remains volatile, with the government facing challenges in maintaining peace and order.
