AJK Officials Allege TTP Militants Infiltrated JAAC Protests

ISLAMABAD: Azad Kashmir officials on Tuesday alleged that a significant number of terrorists belonging to Taliban were present among the protesters of the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

The officials said that “Fitna al Khawarij members were part of the protest— a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan.

At the outset, officials said that there had been some illegal and violent activities in AJK aimed at sabotaging the upcoming phases of the AJK elections.

“The fundamental duty of the state is to maintain law and order, continue the democratic process, and fulfil this responsibility. The state is capable of doing so,” he stressed.

The senior official claimed that a significant number of JAAC protesters consisted of members of Fitna Al Khawarij rather then common people.
He also played a video which showed masked gunmen on the roof of a building in the region.

“Common people are fewer in number; however, armed individuals, militants and Fitna Al Khawarij members are present, which falls under the definition of terrorism,” Hanif maintained.

“They have involved innocent people by misleading them. We appeal to the people to distance themselves from them. The government will also make some public announcements in this regard to fulfil its responsibility,” he stated.
The regional information secretary added that anti-state elements were using children and women as human shields.

“Several misleading videos have been circulated on social media, indicating that it is a human rights movement; however, that is not the case.”

Hanif elaborated that state institutions have adequate information regarding the presence of Fitna Al Khawarij elements and members of other militant organisations.

Addressing the media after the information secretary, AJK police spokesperson and Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Irfan Kashfi said that these elements would be “handled in the same way that any terrorists or militants are handled”.

The latest allegations come amid renewed tensions in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, where the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) has organized protests over a range of political and governance issues. Authorities have stepped up security measures, saying they are committed to maintaining law and order and ensuring that the democratic process, including the forthcoming phases of the AJK elections, proceeds without disruption.

Pakistan’s government uses the term “Fitna al Khawarij” to refer to militants belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has claimed responsibility for numerous terrorist attacks across the country. Officials have repeatedly alleged that militant groups seek to exploit political unrest and public demonstrations to advance their objectives, an allegation that protest organizers have often denied.

In recent years, Azad Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed periodic protests over economic conditions, governance and administrative matters. While most demonstrations have remained peaceful, authorities have occasionally accused anti-state elements of attempting to infiltrate protest movements, leading to heightened security deployments and increased scrutiny of public gatherings.