Web Desk: A political confrontation between supporters of two major parties in Azad Jammu and Kashmir escalated into violence, leaving two police officers injured, damaging public property and prompting the arrest of 20 people, police said.
The clashes erupted in Jhelum Valley district between workers of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), before spreading to a police station in Hattian Bala, where protesters vandalised government property.
Police said the unrest began in Goharabad, the native village of newly elected Legislative Assembly member Diwan Ali Khan Chughtai, after supporters of the rival political parties became involved in a heated exchange that quickly turned violent.
Local residents attempted to defuse the situation, but tensions continued to rise. Both groups later moved to the City Police Station in Hattian Bala, where fresh clashes broke out.
According to police, enraged individuals smashed windows at the police station and damaged several vehicles parked on the premises. Officers responded with a baton charge to restore order, during which two policemen sustained injuries.
Authorities deployed additional police personnel from across Jhelum Valley to contain the unrest and prevent further violence. Security forces also established checkpoints at key locations as they moved to secure the area.
Police said they arrested 20 suspects, including District Council members Faisal Mughal and Asad Chughtai, as well as contractor Azad Mughal. Officers also seized three vehicles allegedly used during the disturbances.
Investigators have registered a criminal case against the arrested suspects under the Anti-Terrorism Act and other relevant provisions of Pakistani law, police said.
Officials added that investigators are reviewing video footage and other evidence to identify additional individuals involved in the violence, warning that more arrests are expected.
Deputy Commissioner Jhelum Valley and the district’s Superintendent of Police visited the scene shortly after the incident to assess the situation and oversee law enforcement operations.
The district administration directed police to register a case on behalf of the state and instructed authorities to pursue legal action against everyone found responsible, regardless of political affiliation.
Officials said no individual would be allowed to take the law into their own hands, adding that maintaining public order across the district remained the administration’s top priority.
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