Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir – Web Desk: Authorities in Azad Jammu and Kashmir have arrested 72 individuals linked to a proscribed Awami Action Committee, police said, amid heightened security following a strike call that has disrupted normal life across the region.
According to the Inspector General (IG) Police spokesperson, weapons, communication devices, and suspected documents were recovered from those detained. The spokesperson said elements of the banned group were attempting to disturb public order under the guise of public grievances, adding that no attempt to undermine peace would be tolerated.
Legal proceedings have been initiated against the arrested suspects, while authorities said measures are underway to ensure the protection of life and property.
The situation follows a strike call for June 9 by the outlawed group, which has already impacted daily activities. Internet services have been suspended in several areas, while flag marches were conducted in Muzaffarabad, Bagh, and Mirpur as part of security measures.
Fears of market closures have led to increased public rush in bazaars, with reports of fuel shortages in some areas and long queues forming at petrol stations where supplies remain available.
Security forces have also been deployed at multiple entry points from Islamabad into Azad Kashmir, with all sensitive locations placed on high alert.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister of AJK Faisal Mumtaz Rathore said the situation had been moving toward instability, arguing that the action against the group was inevitable. He stated that while several demands had been partially or fully addressed, remaining issues could have been resolved through dialogue. He added that the government had sought time to address certain constitutional demands, which was not granted.
He further said the state could not afford chaos and encouraged political engagement through elections, emphasizing that while raising rights-based demands was legitimate, building a state on such grounds was not feasible.
The government had earlier declared the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee a proscribed organization. The group had announced a shutdown call for June 9.
