AJK govt issues wanted list of four banned action committee members

MIRPUR, Azad Kashmir:  The Azad Kashmir Home Department has issued a list of four wanted individuals linked to the banned Joint Awami Action Committee(JAAC), offering a reward of Rs10 million for information leading to their arrest, according to an official notification.

The notification stated that the identity of informants will be kept strictly confidential.

The wanted individuals have been identified as Shaukat Nawaz Mir, Umar Nazir Kashmiri, Khawaja Mehran Arshad, and Sardar Aman Khan.

The Home Department has directed the Inspector General of Azad Kashmir Police to take immediate steps for the implementation of the reward scheme.

It is worth noting that the Azad Kashmir government recently declared the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee a proscribed organisation. The banned group has announced a strike for June 9.

Meanwhile, on June 7, four personnel of law enforcement agencies were martyred in Rawalakot during firing by alleged miscreants linked to the banned action committee.

Meanwhile, Azad Kashmir Home Department has initiated formal legal proceedings against Shaukat Nawaz Mir and Khawaja Mehran Arshad over allegations of sedition and anti-state activities.

According to officials, investigations have been ordered into alleged inflammatory speeches, writings, publications, and electronic communications linked to the two individuals.

The Home Department stated that proceedings under Section A-124 of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Penal Code have been initiated against Shaukat Nawaz Mir. It added that a review of available material suggests the allegations require further investigation in accordance with the law.

Under Section 196 of the Criminal Procedure Code, concerned district police officers have been directed to complete investigations and submit challans before the relevant courts.

Authorities have also instructed the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Muzaffarabad to lead the investigation against Shaukat Nawaz Mir, while the SSP Mirpur has been tasked with investigating Khawaja Mehran Arshad.

Officials further directed that investigations be completed at the earliest and forwarded to the competent courts.

It is worth noting that the move follows the emergence of an alleged audio recording of senior leaders of the banned Joint Awami Action Committee, in which Shaukat Nawaz Mir and Khawaja Mehran Arshad were reportedly heard discussing protests in Azad Kashmir.