Official silence fuels confusion on ‘arrest’ of JAAC leader Shaukat Nawaz Mir

Confusion and unease gripped Muzaffarabad on Tuesday as authorities remained silent on the reported arrest of Shaukat Nawaz Mir, a key leader of the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC).

Activists claimed Mir, who is among four JAAC leaders with a Rs10 million bounty on his head and faces sedition charges, had been taken into custody. Police sources indicated that enforcement personnel detained him near Airan Nullah after a combing operation in an area where he was believed to be hiding. Two other suspects were reportedly detained with him, while the search for two other wanted leaders continues.

Despite reports from other media outlets attributing the arrest to Muzaffarabad Deputy Commissioner Munir Ahmed Qureshi, officials contacted by Dawn declined to confirm the development on record. Qureshi himself was unreachable for comment. The lack of official confirmation fueled speculation and led to precautionary measures, including the closure of some businesses and the erection of police barricades in Mir's neighborhood.

Mir, 52, rose to prominence as president of the Muzaffarabad traders' body and became a prominent spokesman for the JAAC during its protest movement. His alleged arrest, occurring amidst ongoing efforts to apprehend him, has created an atmosphere of uncertainty in the region.