Tensions Rise in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir: JAC Leader Shaukat Nawaz Mir Arrested

Islamabad, July 1: Tensions have escalated in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) as unrest continues for several days. Pakistani military forces have used force against protesters who have been steadfast in their legitimate demands for months. Tragically, several lives have been lost amid the turmoil. In this charged atmosphere, Shaukat Nawaz Mir, a leader of the Joint Action Committee (JAC), has been arrested. The committee asserts that this arrest will not weaken their movement but will instead strengthen it further.

According to local media reports, Mir was detained by Pakistani authorities on Tuesday in the Dheer Kot area of POK. The Deputy Commissioner of Muzaffarabad later confirmed this arrest to the prominent Pakistani newspaper, The Express Tribune.

The situation in POK remains tense, with demonstrators continuing their protests for their “legitimate demands.” The situation has worsened following the government’s imposition of a ban on the JAC.

The JAC has alleged that Mir was arrested before he could reach the protest site as part of a joint operation involving intelligence agencies, police, and other security forces.

The organization stated, “Had Shaukat Nawaz Mir reached the protest site, the movement would have gained more public support and enthusiasm. However, the JAC also emphasized that this movement does not rely on any single individual; it is a movement of the entire public.”

Despite Mir’s arrest, the JAC claims that the movement will continue and emerge even stronger. They assert that arrests cannot suppress their cause.

In a separate statement, the JAC also reported that another member, Saib Javed, has been arrested. The organization described both leaders as “fighters for the rights of the people, justice, and a better future.”

Meanwhile, Baloch National Movement (BNM) President Naseem Baloch condemned Shaukat Nawaz Mir’s arrest, accusing Pakistan of “oppression, arrests, and politics of fear.”

He further stated in a post, “But occupied regions cannot be conquered through fear, nor can an oppressed nation be silenced by putting them behind bars.”