Claim
Last month the Pakistan government banned the Joint Awami Action Committee, and several protest leaders were either arrested or killed.
“पाकिस्तान की सरकार ने पिछले महीने जॉइंट आवामी एक्शन कमेटी पर बैन लगा दिया था और पाकिस्तान के खिलाफ आंदोलन करने वाले कई नेताओं को या तो उन्होंने गिरफ्तार कर लिया था या फिर उनकी हत्या कर दी गई थी।”▶ Watch source segment
Rationale
The core claim is borne out by wire and regional reporting. On 5 June 2026 ('last month' relative to the 2 July 2026 broadcast), the government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir — which operates under Pakistani control — banned the Joint Awami Action Committee under anti-terrorism law. Dozens of activists were detained (72 reported held), sedition cases were filed against JAAC leaders, and the group's head Shaukat Nawaz Mir was arrested on 30 June. At least three JAAC members were killed in clashes with security forces in Rawalakot, and 20+ people died overall. Minor imprecisions — the ban was formally issued by the AJK government rather than Pakistan's federal government, and those killed died in clashes rather than confirmed targeted killings of named leaders — do not change the substance of the claim.
Evidence
- https://www.dawn.com/news/2005462 Dawn reports the AJK government banned the Joint Awami Action Committee on 5 June 2026, declaring it a proscribed organisation under the First Schedule of the region's anti-terrorism act. ✗ unreachable · HTTP 525
- https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2026/06/pakistan-terrorism-designation-of-protest-movement-marks-dangerous-escalation-in-jammu-and-kashmir-crackdown/ Amnesty International confirms the 'terrorism' designation of the JAAC protest movement in June 2026 and describes a crackdown on the movement in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. ✓ reachable · archived
- https://tribune.com.pk/story/2611764/72-held-in-ajk-crackdown-as-govt-defends-jaac-ban Express Tribune reports 72 people were detained in the AJK crackdown as the government defended the JAAC ban. ✓ reachable · archived
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/06/30/pakistan-kashmir-police-arrest-leader-violence/3b0d3c66-74ad-11f1-b665-5f8be87f3787_story.html AP/Washington Post reports JAAC head Shaukat Nawaz Mir was arrested on 30 June 2026 after deadly protests; sedition cases were filed against prominent JAAC leaders. ✗ unreachable
- https://tribune.com.pk/story/2612038/three-jaac-members-killed-as-ajk-police-claim-rawalakot-siege-cleared Express Tribune reports three JAAC members were killed in Rawalakot clashes with police in June 2026. ✗ unreachable
- https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/6/9/deadly-protests-in-pakistan-administered-kashmir-whats-going-on Al Jazeera reports deadly June 2026 clashes in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, with at least 11 killed on 8 June and the toll later rising above 20. ✓ reachable · archived