Azad Jammu and Kashmir Inspector General (IG) of Police Liaqat Ali Malik grabbed a journalist’s microphone during a heated exchange after being questioned about his remarks allegedly made during a podcast and the deaths of protesters during recent unrest.
Geo News reporter Haider Sherazi questioned Malik after a press conference on Monday about a remark he made during a podcast that “if you kill 1,000 people, things will get better”.
When Malik asked where he had given that statement, Sherazi replied that it was during a podcast.
Malik then said that “all those who are criminals should be dealt with according to the law” and that dealing with such cases was the responsibility of law-enforcement agencies.
Sherazi followed up by asking whether the roughly 100 bodies reported during the unrest had also fallen “according to the law”, noting that the figure included police officers.
“Bring evidence” Malik responded before grabbing Sherazi’s microphone and abruptly ending the exchange.
Video of the incident shows the police chief becoming visibly agitated as the reporter continued his questions.
The confrontation came as Malik addressed the security situation in AJK following months of unrest involving the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), a coalition that has led protests over political and governance-related demands.
Malik said 122 people had been arrested in connection with cases involving attacks on police personnel, injuries to law-enforcement officials and damage to public property.
He added that 69 First Information Reports (FIRs) had been filed in connection with the unrest.
The police chief further said more than 1,000 people had been injured during the unrest, including police officers, other law-enforcement personnel and civilians.
Casualty figures have varied during the period, with authorities reporting deaths among protesters and law-enforcement personnel, while other sources have cited higher figures.
