MUZAFFARABAD – What began as a protest march in Rawalakot rapidly spiraled into one of most volatile episodes in Azad Kashmir in recent months. As deadly clashes spilled into Mirpur, gunfire, conflicting casualty claims, and rising political tensions have cast shadow over the region, with authorities and protesters offering sharply different accounts of the violence.
At least one person killed and two others injured amid escalating confrontations between security forces and members of the banned Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee. The latest violence erupted in Mirpur after activists gathered in the city’s main commercial area to express solidarity with protesters involved in Monday’s deadly unrest in Rawalakot.
Police said demonstrators attempted to forcibly shut down businesses, triggering a confrontation that quickly turned violent. A senior police official alleged that protesters opened fire when officers tried to stop them, prompting an exchange of gunfire. According to the official, one protester was killed while two others sustained injuries. Hospital officials later confirmed receiving one body and two wounded individuals.
میرپور شہر میں راولاکوٹ کی صورتحال پر احتجاجی جلوس نکالنے والے کشمیریوں کو منتشر کرنے کے لیے قانون نافذ کرنے والے اداروں کی شیلنگ کے مناظر !!! pic.twitter.com/kQZGeW63FV
— Ehtsham Kiani (@ehtshamkiani) July 28, 2026
Banned Joint Awami Action Committee rejected the police version of events. Core committee member Abid Shaheen claimed protesters had assembled peacefully at Mirpur’s Shuhada Chowk to condemn the killings in Rawalakot when law enforcement personnel opened fire on the crowd. He alleged that multiple people were killed, although those claims have not been independently verified.
The fresh violence comes less than a day after a deadly confrontation in Rawalakot, where both authorities and the Action Committee presented sharply conflicting accounts of what unfolded.
The committee claimed that 14 of its members were killed after security forces opened fire on demonstrators during their long march toward Muzaffarabad. Committee leader Imtiaz Aslam said among those allegedly killed was Usman Nazir, the younger brother of founding member Umar Nazir, while Abid Shaheen claimed nearly a dozen supporters were killed and more than two dozen wounded. Authorities have disputed those figures.
Azad Kashmir IGP Captain (r) Liaqat Ali Malik said officials could not confirm the reported deaths because no bodies had been brought to government or private hospitals for identification or post-mortem examinations. He noted that the committee had previously made casualty claims that were significantly higher than the figures later confirmed through official records.
District administration officials in Rawalakot said protesters opened fire on Rangers and police personnel after darkness fell as security forces attempted to block the march toward Muzaffarabad. According to officials, one Rangers soldier was killed, two Rangers personnel and two police officers were injured, while protesters also set two Rangers and police vehicles ablaze.
Police sources said security forces returned fire after coming under attack and acknowledged that casualties among protesters could not be ruled out.
Action Committee denied carrying firearms, insisting participants possessed only wooden sticks. Police rejected that assertion, alleging that demonstrators were armed with modern weapons and used them against security personnel during the confrontation.
The unrest stems from the committee’s campaign against the reservation of 12 legislative assembly seats for Kashmiri refugees. Since launching protests and a long march on June 9, thousands of supporters have remained camped near Rawalakot in Darek Eidgah and Azad Pattan, demanding constitutional changes before the regional elections.
Negotiations between the government and protest leaders failed ahead of the polls, leading demonstrators to announce their march toward Muzaffarabad. According to official figures, 40 people had already lost their lives in the unrest before July 27, including 34 protesters and six police and paramilitary personnel.
The latest violence heightened security concerns as Pakistan-administered Kashmir continues its legislative assembly elections. Voting in the first phase was held in Mirpur on Monday, while the second phase is scheduled for Muzaffarabad on August 2 and the final phase in Poonch Division on August 10.
Rawalakot clashes between AJK Police, Joint Awami Action Committee leave 7 Dead, Scores Injured
