ISLAMABAD, 16 SEP (DNA) — Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry said authorities had traced a “network” allegedly linked to the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), including a weapons dealer. Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the minister recalled the government’s move to proscribe the JAAC in Azad Jammu and Kashmir in June.
He observed that many questions were raised, including whether the ban was a political decision. “At that time too, you were told that they were proscribed with great responsibility, based on the evidence that has reached us, investigation into which is underway and many things have surfaced,” he said.
The state minister went on to say that questions were raised about audio clips that surfaced on social media, allegedly linked to the JAAC, and whether they were AI-generated. He then played a montage of news channels’ reporting on the situation in AJK in recent months, including incidents and footage that the authorities linked to JAAC as well as attacks on security personnel.
“Many of our critics continued to criticise these as well without knowing the facts,” Chaudhry remarked. The state minister said a “network was captured” during an IBO, which began with tracing a person named Zia. He identified Zia as a resident of AJK who was “working as a weapons dealer for various people for the past eight to 10 years”.
“For the past two years, he has been directly supplying weapons to the closest members of JAAC,” the minister claimed. He said Zia was arrested during an IBO carried out after security forces were targeted in a firing incident at Kashmir Mor.
Citing information obtained from his mobile phone and subsequent backtracking, Chaudhry said Zia was in contact with Majid, whom he said carried out special tasks for JAAC member Sardar Amaan. The minister said close ties between Majid and Amaan were “known to everyone who has been part of negotiations on this issue in Kashmir or was in contact with JAAC”.
An audio clip was then played, allegedly of a conversation between Zia and Majid about sending armed men and Dragunov rifles. Chaudhry claimed more information, such as the cost of weapons and the ammunition used, could be presented before the public.
Zia was connected with Zarshad, who used to send weapons from Afghanistan to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bara, according to the minister. He then played “one of the audio clips available with intelligence agencies”, allegedly of Zia and Zarshad speaking about various weapons such as Kalashnikovs.
“We have been saying for a while that these people would expose themselves,” Chaudhry said, highlighting that intelligence agencies were noticing them. He explained the reasoning for the “doubts” against JAAC, noting that 37 of its 38 demands had been “partially or completely agreed upon and implementation had been initiated”, but the group announced a long march “as soon as it was decided to hold elections”.
“The aim was to create an environment in which elections could not take place to reinforce the narrative that someone else makes decisions for Kashmiris,” he asserted. Recalling the violent incidents in AJK a couple of months ago, Chaudhry stressed there was an “entire campaign with preparation” as Zia had provided many consignments over the past two years.
“We will have to differentiate between political struggle and an armed group,” he declared, criticising “any such movement whose aim is to create doubt about state decisions either through statements or actions or supporting groups that destabilise Pakistan”.
The state minister played a video statement of a man who identified himself as Zia and a resident of AJK’s Sudhanoti district. He said he had remained affiliated with the senior leadership of JAAC and recalled his communication with Zarshad and Akbar for procuring weapons. The person further said he had been involved in attacks on security forces in AJK.
— DNA
