AJK arrests 72 in crackdown on banned group

ISLAMABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Police on Saturday said around 72 individuals allegedly linked to the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) had been arrested during operations conducted over the previous 18 hours, a day after the organisation was banned under anti-terrorism laws.

The AJK government outlawed JAAC, accusing it of involvement in activities that threatened public order and security ahead of a protest call scheduled for June 9. Authorities said the operation was aimed at maintaining law and order and protecting citizens.

According to police, weapons, communication devices and various documents were recovered during the raids. Officials claimed some of the seized material related to plans that could disrupt public order and encourage unlawful activities.

Police further stated that investigators were examining digital evidence and other recovered material, while inquiries into alleged links and organisational activities were ongoing.

Authorities claimed preliminary findings suggested attempts to create unrest and damage public and private property.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Lahore to review the country's overall security situation. The two discussed measures to strengthen law and order, with the prime minister stressing coordination among security institutions to maintain peace and stability.

The AJK police chief said peaceful protest and constitutional demands would be respected, but warned that violence, road blockades, damage to property and other unlawful activities would not be tolerated. Police urged the public to avoid rumours, cooperate with authorities and stay away from illegal gatherings, adding that roads and markets across the state remained open.