Five security personnel were injured in Kotli on Tuesday, 10 November, when members of the banned Joint Action Committee allegedly opened fire in the Panjeera Bazaar area, police said.

The personnel were removing illegal checkpoints in the area when the shooting happened, a spokesperson for the Mirpur regional police chief said. The injured men were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

The Deputy Inspector General of Police for the Mirpur Region said the security personnel were busy clearing illegal checkpoints when members of the banned outfit opened fire on them. Police have not named the injured personnel, and the extent of their injuries has not been made public.

What happened in Panjeera Bazaar

The firing took place in Panjeera Bazaar, a busy commercial area of Kotli, a district town in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. According to police, the security personnel were on duty removing checkpoints set up without authorisation when they came under fire.

Police described the attackers as members of the Joint Action Committee, which the Azad Kashmir government has declared a proscribed organisation. No group has publicly claimed responsibility for the shooting, and no arrests in connection with the attack had been reported by the time the incident was made public.

A video news report also carried the incident, saying an armed attack in Kotli's Panjeera Bazaar had left five security personnel seriously injured. The report placed the attack in the context of continuing tension in Azad Kashmir, where police have warned young people against involvement in unlawful activities.

The banned committee and the checkpoints

The Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee, known as JAAC, became the main platform for protest mobilisation in Azad Kashmir. The Azad Kashmir government declared it a proscribed organisation under the Anti-Terrorism Act in June, saying the group was engaged in terrorism.

The committee has demanded the abolition of 12 seats in the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly reserved for refugees from Jammu and Kashmir. The government says 35 of the committee's 38 demands have been accepted or implemented, a claim the committee's supporters dispute.

The checkpoints at the centre of Tuesday's incident are part of the continuing friction. Protesters have set up roadblocks in parts of the region, while police have moved to clear them. It was during one such clearance operation in Kotli that the firing happened, according to police.

Unrest continues across Azad Kashmir

The Kotli shooting is the latest in a series of violent incidents in Azad Kashmir. In Rawalakot on 5 November, firing at a police post injured Sindh Rangers Naik Bostan Khan, who later died of his injuries, according to Azad Kashmir Police.

Unrest in the region is not new. In June, four police personnel were killed in Rawalakot during clashes linked to the protest movement, according to reports, and civilians also lost their lives during the wider disturbances.

The opposition alliance Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan has condemned the reported use of force against civilians in Azad Kashmir and called for an immediate halt to violence and for meaningful negotiations with protesters. The alliance said a delegation travelling to the region to meet protesters was stopped at Kahuta and not allowed to proceed.

What happens next

Police have not said whether a search operation is under way in Kotli or whether any suspects have been identified. The injured personnel are receiving treatment, and their condition has not been disclosed.

The incident adds to pressure for a negotiated end to the standoff. The JAAC advisory council has called for an immediate end to firing, an independent investigation into deaths, injuries and arrests, and renewed talks with the government. It has also asked for the return of bodies, medical care for the injured, the restoration of mobile and internet services and a verified list of detainees.

For residents of Kotli, the shooting is a reminder of how quickly the dispute over checkpoints and protests can turn violent. Markets and roads in the town were affected by the incident, and police have urged people to stay away from unlawful gatherings.

Frequently asked questions

Where did the Kotli firing happen? In the Panjeera Bazaar area of Kotli, in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, where security personnel were removing illegal checkpoints.

How many security personnel were injured? Five, according to police. They were taken to a nearby hospital, and their injuries have not been described in public reports.

Who do police blame for the attack? Police said members of the banned Joint Action Committee allegedly opened fire. The allegation has not been tested in court, and no one has been named as a suspect in public reports.

Sources: Abb Takk News and Aagahi news report on YouTube.