Violence erupted alongside the ongoing elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), as confrontations between law enforcement and protesters affiliated with the banned Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC) led to multiple fatalities, including three security personnel.
In Rawalakot, armed assailants reportedly opened fire on security forces using automatic weapons. One Rangers official was killed, and five others, including a police officer, sustained injuries. Additionally, two police officers lost their lives during clashes with protesters in the same area.
The unrest coincided with the conclusion of the first phase of AJK elections in the Mirpur Division. Unofficial results from 13 constituencies indicate the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is leading in nine seats, while the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) holds a lead in four. Polling in Rawalakot is scheduled for the third and final phase on August 10, but the city has remained tense following the JKJAAC’s long march towards Muzaffarabad, which began after failed negotiations with government representatives.
The JKJAAC, which emerged in 2023 with a 38-point demand charter, had some demands met earlier this year, such as reductions in flour and electricity prices. However, key issues like the removal of elite privileges, electoral reforms, and the abolition of 12 refugee-reserved seats remain unresolved. A second long march was planned for June 9, but violence escalated days earlier after a core committee member was attacked, leading to clashes that reportedly caused nearly 30 deaths. Protesters have since maintained sit-ins at various points in Rawalakot, expanding their demands to include lifting the ban on the committee, compensation for victims’ families, and withdrawal of cases against protesters.
Conflicting narratives have emerged regarding the violence in Rawalakot. The banned committee alleges that security forces opened fire and used shelling against unarmed protesters advancing towards the city. Police have denied these claims, accusing the committee’s social media accounts of spreading manipulated videos to incite unrest and discredit state institutions.
JKJAAC core members have asserted that protesters were peaceful and suffered casualties, including family members, during the crackdown. Conversely, police and administrative officials have refuted these assertions, stating no bodies or medical records have been received to verify the deaths. Independent verification remains challenging due to Rawalakot’s remote and disputed status, complicating standard reporting procedures.
Additional clashes were reported in Mirpur, where firing incidents caused fear and led to the closure of shops and markets. Federal officials have accused the banned committee of being armed and fomenting unrest. The Prime Minister’s adviser on political affairs described the protests as anti-democratic and likened the march on Muzaffarabad to an Indian attack.
Azad Kashmir Information Secretary Muhammad Rashid Hanif condemned the committee’s attempts to disrupt the democratic process after successful polling in Mirpur Division. He labeled the protesters as armed terrorists who have used civilians and children as human shields, and criticized the dissemination of false videos and inflated casualty numbers to mislead the public.
Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, alongside Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, stated that anti-democratic forces shifted from electoral sabotage to violent tactics after failing to derail the election process in AJK.
In contrast, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari called for dialogue with the protesters, condemning the violence and the internet shutdown in the region. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif dismissed the possibility of talks, accusing the committee of being aligned with India and branding its members as enemies of Pakistan.
JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman condemned the violence against Kashmiris, arguing that the Kashmir cause is being harmed and that the people have rejected rigged elections. He urged the state to cease violence and allow peaceful protests, questioning the continued labeling of rights activists as foreign agents.
The Sindh High Court Bar Association also expressed concern over the fatalities in Rawalakot and other parts of AJK, calling for the protection of citizens and resolution through peaceful dialogue.
