Six civilians and three police personnel killed as the protests turned violent led by the Joint Awami Action Committee in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
According to a statement issued by the AJK government on Wednesday, 172 police officers were injured in ongoing violent protests, including 12 in critical condition, while 50 civilians were also wounded.
The government has appealed to the public to remain peaceful and refrain from violence. Authorities have also warned citizens to ignore false news circulating on social media and to share only verified and credible information.
Earlier, it was reported that three police officers were killed and nine others injured during an attack carried out by armed men belonging to the Awami Action Committee in Dhir Kot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Armed men affiliated with the Awami Action Committee opened fire on police personnel, resulting in the casualties. The officers who were killed include Constable Khurshid and Constable Jameel, both from Bagh, and Constable Tahir Rafi from Muzaffarabad.
Families of the deceased and injured officers demanded that the government bring the attackers to justice and impose strict penalties.
Anwarul Haq invited JKJAAC to enter into negotiations
AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq invited the Awami Action Committee to enter into negotiations following violent protests in the region.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Islamabad alongside Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry the PM said the committee had initially announced a peaceful protest, but the situation escalated.
“In various areas of Azad Kashmir, enraged individuals carried out violent demonstrations and opened fire on police personnel, resulting in three officers killed and ten others injured,” Haq said.
He noted that participants in the protest came from multiple areas, adding, “If it had been only people from Kashmir, perhaps the protest would not have turned violent in this manner.”
Haq reiterated his call for dialogue, stating, “I once again invite the leaders of the Awami Action Committee to come forward and engage in talks. The government will acknowledge the legitimate demands of the protesters.”
He added that in September, the government had already accepted 90 per cent of the committee’s demands, yet the committee chose to announce further protests.
JKJAAC presented 38-point charter of demands
The Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee presented a 38-point charter of demands to the AJK government, calling for the removal of perks for ruling elites, the abolition of 12 assembly seats reserved for Kashmiri migrants from Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, and royalty for hydel power projects in the territory.
The JKJAAC, which has organised multiple protests in recent years to press for public grievances, staged an indefinite “lockdown” and demonstrations at several locations on Monday. Some previous protests have turned violent.
During the Monday demonstrations, a clash broke out between JKJAAC protesters and supporters of the ruling Muslim Conference in Muzaffarabad, resulting in one person being killed.
Authorities have urged restraint and called on all parties to resolve differences peacefully, while security forces were deployed to maintain order across the territory.
JKJAAC strike over constitutional demands
On Monday, shutter-down and wheel-jam strike across AJK killed one and paralyzed life in major districts before escalating into violence following clashes at Neelum Bridge.
Led by JKJAAC central leader Shaukat Nawaz Mir, the strike brought Muzaffarabad, Mirpur, Poonch, Neelum, Bhimber and Palandari to a halt. Markets remained shut, roads were blocked, and internet services were restricted across much of Muzaffarabad, except areas bordering Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Landline, cellular and private internet networks were also largely suspended.
Tensions flared when activists of the Muslim Conference, holding a parallel "Aman March" in support of shopkeepers wanting to keep businesses open, confronted JKJAAC protesters at Neelum Bridge.
Muslim Conference supporters, including party leader Raja Saqib Majeed and his brother, allegedly opened fire on demonstrators.
"The incident, captured in viral social media footage, clearly shows the persons shooting at the crowd," journalist Farhan Ahmed Khan said. Four protesters were injured; one of them, Sudheer, later died in hospital.
In the evening, nearly 5,000 people gathered at Lal Chowk, where Shaukat Nawaz Mir delivered a fiery 17-minute speech.
He condemned the firing, accused the authorities of trying to stage "another May 9" through their "touts", and insisted JKJAAC harboured no hostility toward state institutions or the Pakistan Army.
Mir announced that a protest would be held with Sudheer's body at Chehlabandi on Neelum Road, demanding an FIR and post-mortem, neither of which had been completed.
He also called for further demonstrations at Lal Chowk on Tuesday afternoon. "Fake footages are being aired to suggest everything is normal," he alleged, vowing to continue protests until demands are met.
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