Section 144 imposed in Muzaffarabad amid protests, lockdown and mass arrests in Azad Jammu and Kashmir
ISLAMABAD – Muzaffarabad has been placed under strict restrictions after authorities imposed Section 144, which bans gatherings of four or more people amid heightened security in the region.
A notification issued by the DC effectively placed the capital of Azad Jammu and Kashmir under a strict security lockdown. The situation across the region remains volatile, with internet services suspended while mobile networks remain intermittent, cutting off residents from real-time information in a moment of heightened unrest.
In Rawalkot, tensions reportedly escalated, prompting the deployment of Rangers at key sensitive installations. Security forces are also deployed at important government and constitutional buildings including the Supreme Court, Legislative Assembly, President’s House and the Prime Minister’s office in Muzaffarabad.
On the call of the banned Jammu and Kashmir Joint Public Action Committee, traders and transporters staged a widespread strike in Muzaffarabad and other parts of Kashmir following the killing of committee member Shahzeb, whose death has now become a flashpoint.
Over the past 18 hours, at least 72 people have been detained in what authorities describe as “law and order operations”. Among those arrested are important members of the leadership of the Joint Public Action Committee, including core committee members Anjum-ul-Zaman and Raja Sahib Javed.
Police claim that some of the detainees were found with weapons, communication devices and “suspicious material” allegedly linked to plans to disrupt public order. The investigation is ongoing, though details are tightly controlled.
The unrest comes amid an already explosive political deadlock over 12 reserved seats in the Legislative Assembly for so-called “refugees settled in Pakistan”. The Joint People’s Action Committee has rejected any compromise and called for indefinite protests from June 9, urging citizens to stockpile food and prepare for a prolonged shutdown.
The Home Department has reportedly placed more than 250 people linked to the movement under Schedule I of the Anti-Terrorism Act, while human rights observers have raised alarm over the escalating crackdown. The HRCP warned that the application of anti-terrorism laws to a group rooted in political and socio-economic demands raises “serious concerns” and risks shrinking an already fragile space for peaceful protest and dissent in the region.
People of Azad Jammu and Kashmir will vote. India can see.
The post Section 144 imposed in Muzaffarabad amid protests, lockdown and mass arrests of Azad Jammu and Kashmir appeared first on Daily Pakistan English News.
Stay updated with the latest alerts on this story:
View Original Coverage
