The Secretary of Information and IT of the Azad Government of the State of Jammu and Kashmir, Muhammad Rashid Hanif, has said that the peaceful elections in the Mirpur Division have thwarted the plans of the proscribed Awami Action Committee.
“The people present in Rawalakot are not peaceful protesters but armed militants. Women and children are being forcibly used as human shields.”
He expressed these views while addressing a press conference alongside Deputy Inspector General of Police Irfan Masood Kashfi.
Fake videos
Information Secretary Rashid Hanif said that the public should not believe false information spread by Indian media and on social media. He said that the proscribed Awami Action Committee is misleading the public by circulating old and fake videos on social media. He urged people to trust only information issued through official and verified sources.
Determination to uphold the authority of the state
He said that the authority of the state would be maintained at all costs, and no one would be allowed to take the law into their own hands. He added that, after the election results, attempts were made to spread unrest and sabotage the democratic process. The government, he said, would stand firm in protecting the public’s right to vote at all costs.
DIG’s revelation
Deputy Inspector General of Police Azad Jammu and Kashmir Irfan Masood Kashfi, while addressing the press conference, said that the armed elements possess M4 rifles, SMGs, Kalashnikovs, and other modern weapons. According to verified information, the armed elements are also using snipers.
Arrested individuals
He said that those arrested had revealed that cash rewards were being offered in exchange for using modern weapons and carrying out attacks. He added that these people were no longer peaceful protesters but armed militants. Armed militants, he said, would be dealt with according to the law in the same manner as terrorists.
Security personnel martyred
He said that one Rangers personnel was martyred and five security personnel, including an officer, were injured in firing by the armed elements. The security forces, he said, exercised utmost restraint, and their response was only in self-defense. Investigations into the facilitators and financial backers of the armed elements are ongoing.
Weapons recovered
He said that one-armed individual had been arrested in Rawalakot, and M8 weapons were recovered from his possession. According to preliminary information, the arrested individual had come from abroad and was trained as a sniper. He added that no one would be allowed to challenge the authority of the state or seize control of any area.
Also Read: Arrested trained sniper makes shocking revelations about violence agenda in AJK
