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Intelligence sources speaking to CNN-News18 said the recent breakdown of law and order in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir indicates “a severe breakdown of local law enforcement”.
Commuters ride past security personnel as they patrol a street ahead of a protest by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) in Muzaffarabad, PoK. (IMAGE: AFP)
Fresh violence erupted in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) late on Sunday after Pakistan Army troops allegedly attacked locals during the funeral of a protester.
Pakistan Army personnel cordoned off the area following the clashes that broke out during the funeral of protester Shahzaib.
The Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) has launched a protest and has vowed to hold a long march after it was brought under the ambit of anti-terror laws. The Pakistani state has accused the group of having “engaged in terrorism” and of “creating anarchy”.
“We are not against any country, institution or individual — to link our peaceful struggle with terrorism is a great oppression,” said Shaukat Nawaz Mir, a JAAC member, in an audio message on Saturday night.
“God willing, on the morning of June 9, a historic and meaningful long march will begin… I appeal to the people to remain organised and united.”
The JAAC has demanded the abolition of 12 reserved seats allotted to people who migrated from Jammu and Kashmir and now live elsewhere in Pakistan. The group argues that these seats allow non-residents to influence the composition of the local assembly and help major Pakistani political parties shape governments in the region.
The organisation has also been calling for economic reforms, lower energy prices and free healthcare.
Intelligence sources speaking to CNN-News18 said the recent breakdown of law and order in PoK indicates “a severe breakdown of local law enforcement”.
They also pointed out that Pakistan “is currently dealing with critical security threats on multiple fronts”.
The Pakistani military has been battling threats from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Baloch insurgents and the Afghan Taliban over the past several years.
Intelligence sources believe the law-and-order situation in PoK is partly the result of security resources being diverted to tackle these threats.
“This domestic explosion in a traditionally heavily militarised zone forces Islamabad to divert elite paramilitary and military assets inward to maintain basic order, creating a major domestic security vacuum,” the sources said.
“The sight of local residents actively confronting Pakistani security forces during the funeral of a prominent leader challenges the state’s narrative. The deployment of heavy-handed search operations and internet blackouts is likely to create even greater tensions among the local population,” they added.
The mood in Muzaffarabad, the largest city in PoK, remained tense on Sunday, with a visible security force presence and residents rushing to stock up on essential supplies amid fears of looming lockdowns.
“Metrics show a major disruption to internet connectivity” in PoK, international digital monitor NetBlocks reported, while residents said they had been unable to access mobile internet services over the weekend.
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Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18
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