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The wanted individuals targeted by a high-stakes bounty include Shaukat Nawaz Mir, Umar Nazir Kashmiri, Khwaja Mehran Arshad, and Sardar Aman Khan
Tensions continue to escalate in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) after Pakistani security forces shelled tear gas on protesters following fresh clashes. Image/ANI
The Home Department of the Government of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir has significantly escalated its crackdown on regional unrest by initiating formal legal proceedings against prominent figures Shaukat Nawaz Mir and Khawaja Mehran Arshad on serious charges of sedition and anti-state activities, CNN-News18 has learnt. Alongside these legal measures, the Interior Department has officially announced a cash reward of one million rupees for anyone who provides information leading to the arrest of four core members of the Joint Public Action Committee. The wanted individuals targeted by this high-stakes bounty include Shaukat Nawaz Mir, Umar Nazir Kashmiri, Khwaja Mehran Arshad, and Sardar Aman Khan.
As part of the state’s widening legal offensive, the government has ordered a comprehensive investigation into the speeches, writings, publications, and electronic communications of Shaukat Nawaz Mir, focusing specifically on offences detailed under Section 124-A of the Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir’s penal code. According to official notifications issued by the Home Department, a thorough review of available records and materials determined that the allegations warrant rigorous further investigation in accordance with the law. Under Section 196 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the relevant district police chiefs have been directed to complete these investigations and submit formal challans in the respective courts.
The operational details of the probe have been divided geographically to ensure maximum efficiency. The government has directed the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Muzaffarabad to personally investigate Shaukat Nawaz Mir, while the SSP Mirpur has been tasked with leading the investigation into Khawaja Mehran Arshad. Both investigative arms have been given strict instructions to conclude their probes and submit their final findings to the judiciary swiftly. The state’s case has been heavily reinforced by an alleged leaked audio call from June 6, which was broadcast across multiple national media outlets. In the recording, Mir and Arshad were reportedly heard planning destructive actions, sieges, and coordinated confrontations against state institutions in Rawalakot.
Government sources indicate that the striking similarity between the plans discussed in the leaked audio and the subsequent violent incidents that unfolded in Rawalakot has provided substantial impetus to the ongoing investigation. Consequently, investigative agencies are conducting a detailed, multi-dimensional review of the alleged planning, incitement, and communication channels, mapping out their direct interrelation with the subsequent unrest. The scope of the inquiry has been widened to include all aspects of attacks on state institutions, damage to public property, disruption of public peace, and systemic incitement to violence. High-level officials have reaffirmed that all elements involved in planning, supporting, or encouraging these violent activities will be held strictly accountable under the law.
As the legal and security apparatus tightens the net around the leadership, grave ground realities continue to deteriorate rapidly across the region, with the turmoil spreading from Rawalakot to Kotli. Severe unrest has gripped Kotli, where reports confirm that three young men have lost their lives, and the number of injured persons continues to rise steadily. The local healthcare infrastructure is facing immense pressure, particularly after heavy shelling occurred around the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital, which severely affected the working medical staff. Despite the volatile and dangerous environment, medical personnel are making persistent efforts to provide urgent aid to the incoming wounded.
The security crisis has simultaneously blocked critical transit routes, with intense demonstrations paralysing the Kotli Highway. The public has demonstrated steadfast resistance on the highway despite facing immense pressure from law enforcement authorities. Amidst the chaos and mounting casualties, a massive community relief effort has emerged, with citizens urgently requesting one another to reach the DHQ Hospital to donate blood in a desperate, grassroots bid to save the lives of the critically injured.
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Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18
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