Authorities in Rawalakot claim an additional district and sessions judge was rescued following an alleged abduction attributed to activists of the Joint Awami Action Committee, amid ongoing public protests in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
RAWALAKOT — Police in Rawalakot have claimed to have recovered an additional district and sessions judge following an alleged abduction incident linked to activists of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC).
According to local police statements, Additional District and Sessions Judge Mohammad Akram was traveling from Rawalakot to Muzaffarabad via Pallandri when he, along with his driver and security guard, was allegedly intercepted and taken by armed individuals.
Authorities stated that the recovery operation took place during the intervening night between Wednesday and Thursday. Police further alleged that during the ensuing operation near a hospital, firing occurred, resulting in injuries to two individuals, including a police officer.
The incident comes against the backdrop of sustained public demonstrations across Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The Joint Awami Action Committee, which has led months-long sit-ins and protests involving local residents, workers, and families demanding civic and economic rights, has faced increasing friction with authorities.
While administration officials have sought to link protest participants to the abduction, representatives of popular movements and local observers maintain that official accounts often mischaracterize grassroots demonstrations. Protesters have maintained continuous sit-ins across various towns for over four months, demanding administrative reforms, utility subsidies, and public rights.
Independent verification of the circumstances surrounding the alleged abduction and the subsequent police operation remains limited, as local tensions persist surrounding the handling of public dissent in the region.