MUZAFFARABAD (PaK): A day after an alleged “Indian cipher” surfaced in Islamabad and stirred political debate in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC) core member and prominent trader leader Shaukat Nawaz Mir dismissed the document as part of a “scripted drama” designed to undermine the growing protest movement.
Speaking during a discussion on the social media page Tajran Da Veer, Mir expressed astonishment that a document supposedly involving two nuclear powers could be leaked — yet only a handful of media outlets reported on it. “It is shocking that when a dangerous cipher of this nature leaks, only three media houses break the story. This is nothing more than the latest episode of a drama produced by Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq,” he remarked.
‘AI-generated drama’
Mir alleged that the so-called cipher was artificially manufactured, comparing it to previously circulated “fake AI-generated videos and audios.”
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“First, we saw fabricated videos made with AI, then audios, and now an AI-generated cipher has been launched in the market,” he said.
He further noted that Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq had appeared in a private media interview the night before the leak, and within 24 hours, the cipher was reported by just three channels.
“Normally, when two nuclear states are mentioned in such sensitive material, Pakistan’s Foreign Office and Interior Ministry immediately become active. PTV and every major channel would run it as breaking news. But here, the cipher conveniently landed in the hands of Kashmiri politicians — and even the document itself contains glaring mistakes that any ordinary person can identify,” Mir argued.
Background of the cipher controversy
The alleged document first came into public view on September 16, when former AJK Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan displayed it during an all-parties conference of Kashmiri political leaders in Islamabad. Several participants labeled the cipher a conspiracy against Pakistan and Azad Kashmir, warning that such tactics were aimed at derailing the popular protest movement.
Adding to the debate, Syed Zeeshan Haider, a PTI leader from Jhelum Valley AJK, took to social media questioning the credibility of the so-called Indian letter. “If this Indian letter is truly genuine, then it is an open conspiracy against Pakistan. In that case, the Foreign Office should summon the Indian ambassador, lodge a formal protest, and record a demarche—that is the standard diplomatic practice. Otherwise, it seems the cipher was nothing more than a gimmick to fool the people. #InnocentQuestion” he wrote, suggesting that without diplomatic action, the controversy looked more like political theatre than a real national security threat.
Public distrust and rising anger
According to Shaukat Nawaz Mir, the people of Azad Kashmir have already “seen through the propaganda” and rejected attempts to discredit the JAAC. “The faces of these politicians are now exposed before the public,” he said.
Mir reaffirmed that the protest campaign would continue as planned:
“InshaAllah, on September 29, there will be a complete wheel-jam and shutter-down strike across the state.”
Significance ahead of September 29
The Joint Awami Action Committee has already announced a statewide lockdown on September 29, pressing its charter of demands against rising electricity tariffs, heavy taxation, and governance issues in AJK. With political parties divided — some labeling the protest an “Indian conspiracy,” while others like PTI AJK openly siding with the committee — the controversy surrounding the alleged cipher has further polarized the political landscape.
For many observers, the debate reflects a deeper struggle between the AJK government and grassroots movements demanding accountability and relief. As September 29 approaches, tensions are set to escalate, with both the state and federal authorities under pressure to respond.
