Rule of law will be upheld at all costs in AJK: IG Malik Liaquat Ali

MUZAFFARABAD: The Inspector General (IG)of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Malik Liaquat Ali, has said that the protection of lives and property of the people of Azad Kashmir is our top priority, and it is our firm resolve to uphold the rule of law and maintain law and order at all costs in the current situation.

In an exclusive interview, the IG Police shed detailed light on the current situation in the state and clarified that the police are always ready to protect the people and no mischievous group will be allowed to destroy the peace and tranquility of the people.

While giving details of the current situation, IG Police Malik Liaquat Ali confirmed that by the grace of Allah, all internal and external routes of Azad Jammu and Kashmir are completely open.

He said that about 75% of the shops in the Mirpur region are open and business is going on as usual, while traffic and normal life have been restored everywhere in the Muzaffarabad region. However, the banned Public Action Committee has staged a sit-in at some places in Rawalakot, where there are confirmed reports of the presence of armed miscreants.

These miscreants are stationed at different places and open fire on law enforcement agencies whenever they get the opportunity. Police and other law enforcement agencies are present at the spot in adequate numbers to protect the public and maintain the road network.

Malik Liaquat Ali revealed that a total of 572 miscreants have been arrested so far, while around 34 more arrests have been made by reviewing previous cases of attacking and martyring police personnel.

Along with this, around 155 dangerous miscreants have been included in the Fourth Schedule. The IG Police clarified that some elements of the banned organization deliberately tried to spoil the situation in the name of public rights under personal or external agenda, because these elements needed dead bodies so that they could play politics on them.

But the law enforcement agencies, despite injuring more than 95 of their personnel and suffering bullet wounds, foiled this conspiracy by showing utmost patience and restraint.

He emphasized that the children or innocent people who had come thinking of a peaceful protest and later wanted to return after seeing the firing and violence of the armed groups, the police facilitated this and provided them a safe route and handed over the children safely to their parents.

He appealed to the public not to listen to the rumors of miscreants and refer to the official police page for regular updates on the road situation. The IG Police paid tribute to all the patriotic, peace-loving, and Pakistan-Kashmir-loving people who rejected this mischief.

He further said that in the future, active and passive security for gatherings and processions in connection with Muharram-ul-Haram, as well as picketing and hang-around security measures, are being ensured so that the worship and protection of lives and property of the citizens are maintained at all costs.

Earlier, it has also come to light from political and public circles that due to the rebellious statements of the leadership of the Joint Public Action Committee (including Khawaja Mehran, Shaukat Nawaz Mir, Sardar Aman, and Omar Nazir) and inciting the Kashmiri youth against the army, this movement has become a rebel group rather than a political one.

An FIR has been registered against Khawaja Mehran for his provocative statement. Due to the committee’s stubbornness, the protesters of Rawalakot are stuck in a dead end, and the economic wheel of the business community has come to a standstill due to the prolonged strikes.

After the departure of key members of the core committee, Raja Amjad Advocate and Anjum Zaman Awan, from the organization, several other prominent leaders are also considering parting ways, fed up with the committee’s anti-Pakistan agenda.