RAWALAKOT: A Rangers sepoy was martyred and at least two policemen were injured after armed members of the banned Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) attacked security personnel while attempting to march into Rawalakot in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), officials said on Tuesday.
According to a spokesperson for the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Poonch Region, members of the banned outfit attempted to forcibly enter Rawalakot city on Monday evening despite repeated appeals by law enforcement agencies to end their protest peacefully and avoid disrupting law and order.
The spokesperson said the protesters ignored the warnings and opened fire on security personnel while trying to enter the city, injuring two police officers.
Later, officials said armed JAAC members attacked a security checkpoint on the outskirts of Rawalakot, where Rangers sepoy Ali Raza embraced martyrdom.
The attack also left additional police personnel injured, bringing the total number of wounded officers to three, according to security officials.
During the violence, protesters set ablaze one Rangers vehicle and one police vehicle.
Authorities said law enforcement personnel exercised restraint and acted professionally despite severe provocation.
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The police spokesperson said that the banned organisation resorted to violence, arson and attacks on security forces in an attempt to disrupt the peaceful conduct of the AJK elections. The attacks on government officials, public property and security personnel, the statement said, exposed the group’s violent intentions.
Officials vowed to maintain the writ of the state and said all those involved in violence, arson and attacks on security forces would be brought to justice.
🚨🚨 خصوصی فوٹیج
راولاکوٹ، آزاد جموں اور کشمیر
فوٹیج میں JAAC اور TTP سے منسلک مسلح افراد، حملہ آور ہتھیاروں اور فوجی گریڈ کے آلات بشمول دوربین کے ساتھ چھتوں پر قبضہ کرتے ہوئے، پولیس اور سیکورٹی فورسز کو نشانہ بناتے اور فائرنگ کرتے ہوئے دکھاتے ہیں۔ pic.twitter.com/SslsSuduvr
— I Love ISI…🇵🇰 (@M_Khalil027) July 28, 2026
The DIG’s spokesperson also accused JAAC-linked social media accounts of circulating edited videos and misinformation to mislead the public, incite unrest and create hostility against state institutions.
Authorities appealed to residents to remain calm, avoid rumours and rely only on verified information from official sources. They reiterated that the government would ensure the protection of lives and property and take legal action against anyone involved in violence or attempts to undermine public order.
Meanwhile, unofficial and provisional results from the first phase of the AJK Elections 2026 began emerging from Mirpur Division, with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) engaged in close contests across several constituencies in Mirpur, Bhimber and Kotli.