Guard killed as ex-AJK PM Tanveer Ilyas comes under gun attack: DIG

• Firing incident took place in Tain-Dhalkot: Ilyas spox.
• AJK Police launch investigation into attack on convoy.
• Authorities pledge action against those responsible.

Azad Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Raja Akmal said on Friday that authorities received reports of firing on the convoy of former AJK prime minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas.

The police officer said that further investigations were underway and action would be taken against those responsible for the firing.

Ilyas’ spokesperson said in a Facebook post that the firing took place in the Tain-Dhalkot area, where Ilyas’ guard, Muhammad Asif, was killed, while several others travelling in the convoy sustained injuries.

The former AJK prime minister departed from Islamabad earlier today for a two-day visit to Rawalakot when the incident occurred, the statement added.

This incident came ahead of the July 27 elections for the region’s 53-member Legislative Assembly.

Earlier this month, Ilyas announced his decision to join the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) following a meeting with IPP President Abdul Aleem Khan and State Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Awn Choudhary.

The development comes after Ilyas resigned from the primary membership of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP-AJK chapter) after days of unsuccessful negotiations over election tickets, a development that political observers have described as a setback for the party ahead of the AJK general polls, The News reported.

A surge in violence is also seen in the region linked to ongoing sit-ins and protests being organised by the banned Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC).

The AJK government on June 5 declared the JAAC a proscribed organisation under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), saying the group was engaged in terrorism.

The ban was imposed days ahead of the banned outfit’s planned June 9 protest seeking the abolition of 12 seats in the AJK reserved for refugees from Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) who migrated to Pakistan after 1947.