AJK police chief warns against disinformation amid standoff, denies curbs on goods transport

MUZAFFARABAD: AJK police chief on Thursday warned citizens at home and abroad against disinformation and AI-generated content, urging them to rely on official sources for information amid what he described as a “hybrid warfare” environment. Addressing a press conference, Inspector General of Police Captain (retd) Liaqat Ali Malik said all entry points into AJK remained open to all types of traffic, including vehicles carrying essential commodities, and rejected reports suggesting otherwise. He urged overseas Pakistanis, particularly members of the Kashmiri diaspora in the United Kingdom and Europe, to verify information through authentic government media and social media platforms. “All major entry points into the territory, including Kohala, Azad Pattan and Bararkot, are open for all types of traffic without any intervention, except routine security checks within police protocols,” he said. Malik alleged that activists of the proscribed Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) had erected barriers at some locations and attacked or snatched goods-laden trucks, adding that law enforcement agencies were regularly clearing roads and facilitating commuters. Referring to a recent BBC Urdu report, Malik claimed that the report was based on unverified allegations and published without seeking the government’s version, despite the availability of official contact channels. “We can say that this article is far away from reality […],” he said. The IGP recalled that both he and Chief Secretary Khushal Khan had clarified during a press conference on June 23 that police were not obstructing any traffic entering AJK, including trucks carrying essential goods and public transport vehicles. The senior police official also said the government’s position had been disseminated through the Public Information Department’s official fact-checking platform on X, and urged citizens to follow official government accounts for authentic information. Malik also called upon media organisations to ver