Web Desk: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government has initiated a security operation to clear blocked entry and exit routes across the region, saying the campaign will continue until transportation links are fully restored and public life returns to normal.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, AJK Home Secretary Chaudhry Guftar Hussain said the administration was determined to safeguard citizens, protect public property, and ensure that business, education, and transport activities continue without disruption.
He said the government would not allow any individual or group to obstruct state affairs or disrupt daily life through intimidation or force, adding that authorities would take firm legal action against anyone attempting to create unrest.
Referring to the security situation in Rawalakot, Hussain alleged that armed members of the banned Jammu and Kashmir Awami Action Committee (JAAC) opened fire during the unrest in an effort to escalate tensions. According to him, police officers responding to the incident came under attack with automatic weapons and explosive devices.
The home secretary said Rangers had been deployed to reinforce local police during the operation. He added that one security official was killed while another sustained injuries during the exchange, prompting authorities to launch a broader operation to secure the affected area.
Hussain also claimed that the banned outfit had recently issued another ultimatum calling for the closure of all entry points into Azad Jammu and Kashmir. However, he maintained that the group no longer enjoyed broad public backing and was incapable of bringing the region to a standstill.
He said repeated protests and road blockades had inflicted billions of rupees in economic losses by disrupting tourism, transport, trade, and other commercial activities across the region.
According to the home secretary, banking services that had been affected during the unrest have now resumed after government intervention, while efforts are underway to fully restore public services.
Meanwhile, the AJK Education Department announced that all universities, colleges, and medical institutions reopened on Tuesday. Education officials also directed school and college administrations to discourage students from participating in violent demonstrations, alleging that the banned organization was attempting to involve women, children, and students during protests.
The government reiterated that restoring law and order remains its top priority and stressed that the public seeks peace, stability, and uninterrupted economic and educational activities.
The latest operation follows days of heightened tensions in the region. Earlier this week, a former senior member of the banned JAAC appealed to the group’s leadership to withdraw its planned long march and sit-in, arguing that prolonged protests had caused significant hardship for residents of Poonch district.
Last week, at least one person was killed and several others were injured during clashes between protesters and law enforcement personnel along the Arja–Rawalakot road, according to official reports.
