MUZAFFARABAD: At least six civilians and three police personnel have been killed in violent demonstrations led by the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), the Press Information Department (PID) said on Tuesday.

Authorities reported that 172 police officers were injured, 12 critically, along with 50 civilians. Security has since been tightened across sensitive areas, with officials warning against further unrest.

In a statement, the PID appealed to the public to remain calm and “not pay attention to fake news being spread on social media under a specific agenda, and to only share authentic and verified information.” Medical facilities, it added, are providing treatment to those injured.

AJK Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq condemned the protest tactics, accusing the JAAC of holding the system hostage. “If you claim to represent the public, there are only two constitutional paths: local bodies or Legislative Assembly elections,” he told Pakistan TV Digital.

He acknowledged grievances over electricity tariffs and food inflation but rejected what he called “unrealistic demands” that exceeded the state’s fiscal capacity. “The constitution allows peaceful protest,” Chaudhry said, “but no one has the right to shut down civic life or paralyze the state.”

Officials stressed that the deaths and injuries occurred amid violent clashes, dismissing what they described as “disinformation” circulating online. They reiterated calls for restraint, urging protesters to channel demands through legal and democratic forums.

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Azad Kashmir warns of rising toll from violent protests, urges calm and peace