The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and Amnesty International have expressed concern over recent government actions in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), including the designation of the Jammu and Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) as a proscribed organisation, restrictions on communications and arrests linked to ongoing protests in the region.
On June 5, the AJK government proscribed the JAAC, stating that it was involved in activities it described as terrorism and actions deemed harmful to peace and security in the region. The following day, authorities launched a crackdown, arresting several JAAC leaders and activists from multiple areas. Tensions escalated further after a violent protest in Rawalakot, where at least four law enforcement personnel and seven civilians were killed, according to official reports. In response to the unrest, Islamabad deployed federal paramilitary forces to support local police, while authorities advised visitors to postpone travel to the region until June 20 as a precautionary measure.
In a statement on Tuesday, HRCP called for an immediate de-escalation of tensions and urged authorities to conduct an impartial investigation into all reported deaths and injuries. HRCP cautioned that banning popular movements could risk shrinking democratic space and stressed that demands for constitutional or political change should be addressed through peaceful, representative and democratic means rather than through confrontation or violence.
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Similarly, Amnesty said the measures had raised questions about freedom of association, access to information and the handling of demonstrations in AJK.
On June 9, the government announced a Rs10 million reward for information leading to the arrest of four wanted members of the proscribed JAAC. The Home Department also directed police to enforce the reward scheme while ensuring the confidentiality of informants, amid rising tensions following recent deadly clashes in the region.
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Amnesty also described the JAAC as a grassroots movement advocating economic and political rights in the region and criticised the decision to designate the group under anti-terrorism legislation. The organisation expressed concern over the suspension of internet and mobile services, restrictions on travel into the region and reports of arrests of activists and supporters associated with the group.
According to Amnesty, more than 100 individuals linked to the JAAC were detained in operations carried out on June 6 and 7. The rights body also referred to reports of clashes between protesters and law enforcement personnel in Rawalakot that resulted in casualties among both protesters and police officers. It called for independent investigations into reported deaths and injuries urging authorities to exercise restraint, facilitate peaceful assembly and ensure that any use of force complies with international standards.
The developments follow a dispute between the JKJAAC and the government over proposed electoral arrangements in AJK. Negotiations broke down in late May, after which the group announced plans for a region-wide strike and protest campaign.
The government banned the JAAC last week, accusing it of threatening public order, a move the group has rejected as an attempt to suppress dissent. In a separate intelligence-based operation in Muzaffarabad, security forces arrested five suspects and recovered weapons and electronic devices, with investigations ongoing. The unrest has also seen internal divisions within the JAAC, with key member Syed Faisal Gilani distancing himself from the group, while others insist the movement remains peaceful. Amid the escalation, AJK Prime Minister Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore has urged dialogue, while political parties and rights groups have called for restraint, investigation, and renewed negotiations ahead of July 27 elections.
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