AJK Police say 3 JAAC personnel killed in Rawalakot clashes, several injured

The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Police on Monday said three individuals linked to the newly banned Awami Joint Action Committee (JAAC) were killed during Sunday’s protests, with additional injuries reported, according to a press release from the AJK Police.

This statement follows deadly clashes in Rawalakot, AJK, where the JAAC had staged a sit-in in front of the CMH Rawalakot Hospital. AJK police say armed JAAC members opened fire on security forces deployed during a planned attack, leaving four people dead and around 20 injured. The JAAC, however, disputes this version, saying that security forces used tear gas and fired shells towards the hospital.

According to the statement, law and order was restored in Rawalakot after what it described as violent and armed actions by elements linked to the JAAC.

The AJK Police said that armed individuals attempted to disturb the peace in the area on the evening of June 7 by launching a planned shooting attack on law enforcers. The attackers then besieged CMH Rawalakot, seriously disrupting hospital services and medical operations. Police said miscreants also set fire to several locations and caused damage to public and private properties.

The press release added that the police reacted with “professionalism, restraint and responsibility”, by carrying out a limited and targeted operation on the night of June 7 to 8 to lift the siege of the hospital. He said priority was given to the safety of patients, medical staff and civilians, and CMH Rawalakot was now fully liberated and medical services restored.

Police said that since June 6, four law enforcement personnel have been killed in firing, including three AJK Rawalakot police personnel and a Border Police personnel, while several others were injured. He further claimed that three individuals linked to the Action Committee had been killed as a result of their own “indiscriminate shooting”, with further injuries reported.

Read: Four policemen martyred, over 20 injured in Rawalakot shooting: AJK Police

According to the statement, the situation has been brought under control, with roads reopened and markets operating normally throughout the region.

Police said those involved in the violence had been dispersed and operations against armed elements were continuing. He adds that legal proceedings are underway against the individuals responsible for disturbing public order and that the organizers of the disturbances will be brought to justice.

The press release also confirms that the funeral prayers of the slain servicemen will take place with full official honours. The statement urged the public to avoid getting involved in any activities related to the banned group, not to believe rumors and to rely only on official sources for information.

Meanwhile, according to an article by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) on

The JAAC said seven people were killed and dozens injured when street shootings took place in the dark after a power outage. He further claimed that the protesters were targeted during what he described as a peaceful demonstration.

The group acknowledged that members of the local police were among those injured in the incident. The JAAC called the actions “state terrorism” and urged authorities to immediately withdraw security forces and implement what it called the people’s “legitimate and constitutional demands.” He warned that protesters would under no circumstances back down on their demands.

The region experienced one of its most turbulent periods in October last year, when JAAC-led protests erupted demanding constitutional and governance reforms. At least nine people, including three police officers, were killed during the unrest.

The JAAC, which organized the protests and strike, had presented a broad charter of demands, including an end to the privileges enjoyed by the ruling elite, the removal of 12 assembly seats reserved for refugees and the abolition of the quota system.

Two days after the violence, the government and the JAAC reached an agreement on 12 basic points and 13 additional points. Under the agreement, both sides agreed to constitute a high-level committee to look into the issue of refugee seats in the AJK Legislative Assembly.

The unrest also sparked political upheaval in the region. The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) subsequently proposed a resolution of no confidence in then Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq, with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) joining the effort. Haq, elected in April 2023 with 48 votes, chose to face the vote rather than resign.

On 17 November, Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore received 36 votes in the elections and became the 16th Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

With elections approaching and the refugee seat issue still unresolved, the AJK government has convened an All Party Conference (APC) in Muzaffarabad to reach a consensus. Almost all major parties were present – ​​except the PTI and JAAC, which boycotted it.

The JAAC’s position is that the government had already rejected its written proposals submitted on May 30 and therefore there would be no point in attending. He had proposed either maintaining token representation of refugees until the Kashmir conflict is finally resolved or replacing the 12 seats in the Assembly with 4 seats in the AJK Council – a body chaired by the Prime Minister, which he said would better preserve the political dimension of the Kashmir cause.

The APC rejected any changes outside the constitutional and legislative framework, saying only the elected assembly could change the distribution of refugee seats. The JAAC called the resolution “a page and a half of utterly trivial lines” and accused participants of coming together to serve their own interests rather than those of the public.

The JAAC called a major demonstration on June 9 in Muzaffarabad, with caravans converging from across the region.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry on Sunday rejected claims that the JAAC agreement was not being implemented and said the government had fulfilled the vast majority of its commitments in AJK.

The minister warned against attempts to create unrest in AJK and questioned whether such actions served the interests of Pakistan, AJK or the larger Kashmir cause. “The solution to these problems is not violence,” he said, adding: “The solution is dialogue. We cannot allow public order to deteriorate or innocent lives to be lost.”