Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) police reported on Thursday that eight highway police personnel assigned to election duty were abducted by the banned Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC). The authorities assert that the abducted officials are being held captive and subjected to mistreatment.
During a press briefing, AJK police spokesperson SSP Khawar Ali Shaukat accused the proscribed group of attacking security forces involved in election duties and attempting to undermine the authority of the state. He stated that the JAAC was holding the eight personnel and had reportedly inflicted violence upon them. Additionally, threats have been made against the families of the abducted officers.
Shaukat described the JAAC as a violent organization pursuing a deliberate agenda to destabilize state institutions and disrupt peace in the region. He emphasized that the government would not tolerate any acts of violence or challenges to its authority, warning that legal action would follow any such attempts. “The state was not weak before and is not weak now,” he remarked, cautioning that the state’s restraint should not be misinterpreted as weakness.
The spokesperson further accused the group of following a violent and disruptive path for the past four years, aiming to weaken state structures and create unrest. He also condemned the use of children and civilians as shields during protests, urging parents to be vigilant about their children’s involvement.
Highlighting public sentiment, Shaukat claimed that the people of AJK have rejected JAAC’s methods by actively participating in elections and choosing democratic representation. He noted that the electoral process reaffirmed public support for democracy and helped restore the state’s authority.
He appealed to citizens to distance themselves from the banned group and avoid engaging in activities that challenge the state’s writ. The spokesperson called on JAAC to immediately release the abducted officers, warning that the state would not yield to any pressure regarding their safety. He threatened strict legal action should the personnel be harmed, their release obstructed, or threats against their families persist.
“If the state’s authority is challenged and officials face violence, the state will respond the law and Constitution,” Shaukat asserted.
This announcement comes amid rising tensions in AJK, where JAAC has been organizing protests demanding the removal of 12 reserved seats in the AJK Legislative Assembly allocated to refugees from Indian-administered Kashmir. Clashes between protesters and law enforcement in Rawalakot and Mirpur on July 28 resulted in multiple casualties, further heightening unrest.
The government has accused those involved in the disturbances of pursuing a foreign agenda and receiving funding from India, allegations that protest organizers deny. Earlier, AJK Information Secretary Muhammad Rashid Hanif reported that seven law enforcement personnel, including police and Rangers, were killed during recent unrest.
The latest claim of the abduction of eight highway police personnel adds a serious new element to the ongoing conflict. Authorities have reiterated that any violence against security forces or challenges to the state’s authority will be met with firm legal action.
