MUZAFFARABAD (MNN); Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Inspector General of Police Captain (Retd) Liaqat Ali Malik on Thursday urged citizens at home and abroad to remain vigilant against misinformation, disinformation and AI-generated content, stressing the need to rely on official sources for accurate information amid what he described as a “hybrid warfare” environment.
Addressing a press conference in Muzaffarabad, the police chief said all entry points into AJK remained fully open for all categories of traffic, including vehicles transporting essential commodities, and dismissed reports suggesting restrictions on movement.
He particularly appealed to overseas Pakistanis and members of the Kashmiri diaspora living in the United Kingdom and Europe to verify information through official government media channels and authenticated social media platforms before sharing or acting upon it.
According to the IGP, major entry routes into AJK, including Kohala, Azad Pattan and Bararkot, remain operational, with only routine security checks being carried out under established police procedures.
Malik alleged that activists associated with the banned Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) had erected barriers at certain locations and interfered with the movement of goods vehicles. He said law enforcement agencies were continuously working to clear roads and facilitate commuters and transporters.
Referring to a recent media report, the police chief claimed that certain allegations regarding restrictions on traffic movement were inaccurate and had been published without obtaining the government’s version of events.
He recalled that both he and Chief Secretary Khushal Khan had clarified during a June 23 press conference that authorities were not preventing the entry of public transport vehicles or trucks carrying essential supplies into AJK.
The IGP urged citizens to follow official government communication platforms, including the Public Information Department’s fact-checking services, for verified information and appealed to media organisations to seek confirmation from police authorities before broadcasting reports related to law enforcement matters.
The press conference came amid an ongoing strike call by the banned JAAC. Witnesses reported a partial shutdown in parts of Muzaffarabad and Poonch divisions, while normal business activity largely continued in the Mirpur division.
In Muzaffarabad, long queues were observed outside the only petrol station permitted to sell fuel in limited quantities, with residents waiting to obtain fuel for motorcycles, generators and other essential needs.
Meanwhile, the regional government intensified disciplinary action against public employees allegedly involved in or facilitating protest activities linked to the banned organisation.
According to official notifications, several employees from the education, electricity and health sectors were suspended for activities authorities said were inconsistent with government service regulations.
Government sources indicated that further disciplinary measures, including dismissal from service, could be taken against employees found supporting activities deemed to challenge the writ of the state.
Late on Thursday night, JAAC announced that it would continue its protest movement through peaceful sit-ins, dismissing speculation that it planned to launch a long march.
The latest developments come ahead of the July 27 elections in AJK. The JAAC had been protesting against the existence of 12 Legislative Assembly seats reserved for refugees from Indian-administered Kashmir who settled in Pakistan after 1947.
On June 5, the regional government declared JAAC a proscribed organisation under the region’s Anti-Terrorism Act. A day later, authorities launched a crackdown, arresting a number of its leaders and activists, while dozens of members were later placed on the Fourth Schedule.