If the foundation is peaceful and ethical, the democracy and legality will flow like a river and reach the ocean of humanity.
....
Saturday, 3 June 2023
Friday, 2 June 2023
Daily Diary (DD) - Day 153 of 2023
2323hrs:
We can keep communicating and looking forward, while introspecting on the past.
....
Thursday, 1 June 2023
Daily Diary (DD) - Day 152 of 2023
1828hrs:
The train named #AJKReferendum2023 is gaining momentum.
....
Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Tuesday, 30 May 2023
Monday, 29 May 2023
Daily Diary (DD) - Day 149 of 2023
1243hrs:
Rolling on on Day 7 of #AJKReferendum2023
All activists working on governance in AJK are having to pay for 76 years of negligence. We have to put in extra efforts to do all those tasks that over 110,000 governments servants in AJK have failed to do in all these years.
They've all been rewarded with wages, paid expenses and many have also benefitted from the many avenues of corruption. Meanwhile, activists have had to rely on their own sources or menial handouts from well wishers in the community. Government servants have accumulated assets over all these years, secured their children's future and enjoy pensions in retirement. Activists have to deal with extra oppression for struggling for people's rights, face immediate risks of poverty and also have to face criticism from their own families for putting the public's needs ahead of their own families.
Indeed, political activism in AJK has been guilty of bifurcating the freedom struggle from governance, hence this dichotomy mentioned above.
We are now deeply engaged in addressing this error of judgement.
#AJKReferendum2023 should prove to be the basis of modern day 21st century governance in AJK. Whereby the freedom struggle integrates itself with the day to day needs of governance.
....
So, it took less than 3 days for the Pakistani army to back down from its abduction policy in AJK.
Israr Ahmed was released late in the afternoon today after activists had threatened to block the main highway between Mirpur & Kotli at Plaak, near Dadyaal. It is vivid that AJK is not Pakistan. It is also clear that if the people of AJK put their heads together, driving the Pakistani army out of this territory is not as difficult as many of us envisage:
....
Meanwhile, our evenings are becoming heavy engagements with the public. This evening was at Pir Jamaal:
....
Sunday, 28 May 2023
Daily Diary (DD) - Day 148 of 2023
1607hrs:
In the early hours of this morning we witnessed a footballing miracle complete its 31 year journey, from downfall in 1992 to a return to the premier league in 2023. Luton Town is my home town in the UK and they have inspired confidence in us, or rather reminded us that miracles do happen; if your efforts are consistent despite all hurdles thrown in your direction:
....
Saturday, 27 May 2023
Daily Diary (DD) - Day 147 of 2023
2036hrs:
A lot is cooking. One of our close aides and co-citizen extraordinaire Israr Ahmed s/o Muhammad Riyasat was picked up by 'some men' - accompanied by the local police - in the middle of the night (reported to be c. 0100hrs) from his home, while sleeping with his family.
It emerged that he was picked up for criticising or mocking the Pakistani army's attempts to generate public solidarity in Dadyaal yesterday.
Stiff reaction came in the morning from the public and from Israr Ahmed's political party - JKLF - in particular.
Consequently and post 'arrest' a document was circulated to the public via the district magistrate's office in Mirpur that Israr Ahmed had been arrested under 16 MPO (Maintenance of Public Order) and would be detained at Mirpur central jail for 30 days. Further, that the order could be judicially challenged.
It should be clear that - from past experience - if the public had not made a timely intervention on Israr's nocturnal abduction, he would probably be declared missing indefinitely.
Public pressure ensured that the location of Israr's detention became clear and that legal remedy was available.
The Pakistani military should not make the mistake of considering this territory to be like their own. They should also refrain from exporting Pakistan's political instability into this territory. It is ridiculous that they feel the need to force our public to come out onto the streets, in solidarity with them.
The above are some of the concerns cited by our public.
The following is the public statement penned by myself in the morning, upon being notified about Israr Ahmed's abduction:
English:
In any society of humans the rule of law and due course of legality is inescapable.
Roman Urdu:
Insaano ke kisi bhi ma-asharey me qanoon ki baala dasti aur qanooni tarteeb (due course of legality) na guzeer hay.
E:
Abducting any citizen of AJK from his or her home in the middle of the night is akin to declaring war on the public of AJK...
RU:
Kisi AJK ke shehri ko raat ko us ke ghar se aghwa karna yaha ki awaam se ilaan e jang ke mutaraadif hay...
E:
The Geneva Convention applies in a conflict zone and the Pakistani State has broken international law in this State.
RU:
Conflict zone me Geneva Convention apply karta hay aur Pakistan ki State ne international law ki khilaaf warzi ki hay is riyasat me.
E:
We make an ethical request that they immediately produce Israr in Dadyaal courts and explain to the judge details of what allegations have been made.
RU:
Un se akhlaaqi quzaarish hay ke wo Israr ko filfor Dadyaal ki adaalat me pesh karey aur judge ke saamney wazaahat karey ke Israr ke khilaaf kya kya ilzamaat hain.
E:
Advice is being sought from international legal experts and diplomats.
RU:
Is case par bain ul aqwami qanooni maahireen aur sifaaratkaro se bhi mashaawarat jaari hay.
E:
If Israr is not produced in Dadyaal courts then we will advocate for sanctions against Pakistan.
RU:
Agar Israr Dadyaal ki adaalat me pesh nahi kiya gaya to hum Pakistan ke khilaaf sanctions ke liye advocacy karengey.
....
Here are a couple of relevant posts:
Israr Ahmed's party leader Toqeer Gilani also gave a statement of condemnation over his arrest:
However, most notable of all was the roadblock in Dadyaal conducted by Israr's JKLF colleagues at the bypass junction in Amb:
....
Friday, 26 May 2023
Daily Diary (DD) - Day 146 of 2023
1049hrs:
Setting the most important precedent for 21st century governance, in Bhimber district of all places.
....
Thursday, 25 May 2023
Daily Diary (DD) - Day 145 of 2023
1811hrs:
Motoring along in the southernmost tehsil (subdivision) of AJK.
....
Some glimpses of public engagement today:
....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
-
2331hrs: Meaningfully organising what one has done during the day, is also a time-consuming chore at times. Yet it's a necessity in ...
-
1350hrs: Day 29 at Maqbool Bhat Shaheed Square - Dadyaal. 0808hrs .... I was trying to get hold of Saddaqat Mughal Kashmiri of Athmaqam in t...
