MUZAFFARABAD — Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Information Secretary Muhammad Rashid Hanif and senior law enforcement officials revealed on Tuesday that a significant number of heavily armed terrorists belonging to the banned Fitna Al Khawarij (Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan) have infiltrated the protests organized by the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC). Presenting video evidence of masked gunmen stationed on rooftops, Hanif stated that these anti-state elements are exploiting innocent citizens, including women and children, as human shields to trigger mass unrest and sabotage the ongoing phases of the AJK elections. State institutions confirmed they possess actionable intelligence regarding the presence of militant factions trying to portray a coordinated security threat as a civilian human rights movement on social media.
The operational updates were detailed by AJK Police Spokesperson and Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Irfan Kashfi, who confirmed that one police official was martyred and five others were injured during the violent skirmishes. Highlighting that the agitators are equipped with military-grade weaponry—including M-4 rifles, SMGs, and AK-47s—Kashfi announced the arrest of a suspected foreign national operating as a sniper in Rawalakot. AJK Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore also strongly condemned the march to Muzaffarabad, labeling it a premeditated conspiracy to shed innocent blood. Both the civilian leadership and law enforcement agencies reiterated their absolute resolve to maintain law and order, reassuring the public that security forces acting in self-defense will eliminate the militant threat at all costs.
