Web Desk: Law enforcement agencies in Azad Kashmir have arrested two senior leaders of the banned Joint Awami Action Committee, officials said on Tuesday, as authorities intensified a crackdown on the group amid ongoing political tensions in the region.
Police identified the detainees as Shaukat Nawaz Mir and Raja Sohaib Javed, saying both were wanted in multiple criminal cases and were taken into custody during an operation in the Dhirkot area.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Muzaffarabad Riaz Mughal confirmed the arrests, stating that security personnel apprehended Shaukat Nawaz Mir during an operation within the jurisdiction of Dhirkot.
Meanwhile, security sources said the two leaders were arrested near the Line of Control (LoC). According to the sources, they were allegedly attempting to cross toward the LoC at the time of their detention. Authorities have not independently released further details regarding the alleged attempt.
Officials said the outlawed Joint Awami Action Committee faces allegations of inciting the public against the state. They also accused the group of campaigning for the abolition of reserved refugee seats in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, a demand that has remained at the center of its political agenda.
Earlier, the Azad Kashmir Home Department had announced cash rewards for information leading to the arrest of four prominent committee leaders, including Shaukat Nawaz Mir, Umar Nazir Kashmiri, Khawaja Mehran Arshad and Sardar Aman.
Authorities said legal proceedings against the two arrested leaders are continuing under the cases already registered against them.
The arrests mark the latest step in an expanding security operation targeting the outlawed organization, as officials maintain that enforcement measures will continue against individuals accused of violating the law. No immediate statement was issued by representatives of the Joint Awami Action Committee regarding the arrests or the allegations made by authorities.
