Weapons dealer among 'JAAC-linked network' caught during intelligence-based operation: Tallal Chaudhry

Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry said authorities had traced a “network” allegedly linked to the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), including a weapons dealer.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the minister recalled the government’s move to proscribe the JAAC in Azad Jammu and Kashmir in June. He observed that many questions were raised, including whether the ban was a political decision.

“At that time too, you were told that they were proscribed with great responsibility, based on the evidence that has reached us, investigation into which is underway and many things have surfaced,” he said.

The state minister went on to say that questions were raised about audio clips that surfaced on social media, allegedly linked to the JAAC, and whether they were AI-generated.

He then played a montage of news channels’ reporting on the situation in AJK in recent months, including incidents and footage that the authorities linked to JAAC and attacks on security personnel.

“Many of our critics continued to criticise these as well without knowing the facts,” Chaudhry remarked.

The state minister said a “network was captured” during an IBO, which began with tracing a person named Zia. He identified Zia as a resident of AJK who was “working as a weapons dealer for various people for the past eight to 10 years”.

“For the past two years, he has been directly supplying weapons to the closest members of JAAC,” the minister claimed.

He said Zia was arrested during an IBO carried out after security forces were targeted in a firing incident at Kashmir Mor.

Citing information obtained from his mobile phone and subsequent backtracking, Chaudhry said Zia was in contact with Majid, whom he said carried out special tasks for JAAC member Sardar Amaan.

The minister said close ties between Majid and Amaan were “known to everyone who has been part of negotiations on this issue in Kashmir or was in contact with JAAC”.

An audio clip was then played, allegedly of a conversation between Zia and Majid about sending armed men and Dragunov rifles. Chaudhry claimed more information, such as the cost of weapons and the ammunition used, could be presented before the public.

At the outset of his press conference, Chaudhry said about 200 IBOs were carried out daily, adding that there were “many questions raised”.

He noted the “role of Afghanistan and the people sitting in Afghanistan in terrorism in Pakistan and efforts to destabilise Pakistan”.

The state minister said there was a “terror-crime network here, which many people call their business but we call it a terror-crime nexus”, adding that it facilitated a plethora of illegal activities, such as smuggling of narcotics, vehicles, petroleum products and supply of weapons from ordinary criminals to large networks.

“This entire terror crime network facilitates the kind of actions that in Pakistan appear as terrorism and actions that are sponsored and managed in an organised manner through our eastern and western borders alike, from those two countries unfortunately.”

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