ISLAMABAD – Dr Sohail Habib Tajik has been removed as Inspector General of Police (IGP) for Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) days after the region saw deadly protests against inflated bills and subsidies.
Abdul Jabbar, a BS-20 officer from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), has been appointed as the new top cop, replacing Dr Sohail Habib Tajik, a BS-20 officer from the Police Service of Pakistan (PSP).
The massive protests in Azad Kashnmir led to clashes between police and activists, resulting in the death of at least one police official and three citizens.
Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) organised the protests against high electricity bills, subsidized wheat flour, and an end to elite privileges.
Following the protests, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a Rs23 billion subsidy package for AJK, leading to the end of protests by the JAAC. In addition to the change in the IGP, the federal government also replaced the Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) Operations Islamabad, transferring him to the Federal Investigation Agency.
Azad Kashmir residents call off violent protests after breakthrough in negotiations
