MUZAFFARABAD: The spokesperson for Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Police has alleged that a banned committee has confiscated people’s national identity cards and claimed that some protesters are carrying sniper rifles, questioning assertions that the demonstrations are peaceful.
Speaking at a press conference, SSP Riaz Mughal said that peaceful protesters do not need to carry weapons. He alleged that armed individuals have been using firearms against law enforcement personnel and claimed that the violent incidents were being carried out in a planned and coordinated manner.
The police spokesperson further alleged that protesters had made life difficult for local residents by taking food items from homes. He questioned the presence of weapons behind white flags carried by demonstrators, saying this contradicted claims that the protests were peaceful.
SSP Mughal also claimed that around 70 percent of the protesters were criminals or drug addicts. He alleged that some protesters were injured by gunfire from within their own ranks and later blamed the police, while others deliberately staged such incidents to accuse state institutions.
Highlighting casualties among security personnel, he said that one police sub-inspector was killed in the firing, another officer suffered a fractured spine, and several other personnel were injured. According to him, 174 police officers have been injured during the unrest. He added that three police officers had previously been martyred, arguing that these incidents raised serious questions about claims that the protests were entirely peaceful.
The allegations were made by the AJK Police spokesperson during the press conference. The report reflects the police’s claims, and no response from the protesters or the groups mentioned was included in the statement.
About The Author
