Daily Diary (DD) - Day 28 of 2022

1355hrs:

From civil society to Public Assembly is a leap not just in written characters but a journey that involves civil communication between the public of this territory titled as AJK and the UK Government. 

........

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 27 of 2022

2301hrs:

Day 8 at Martyr's Square - Kotli - AJK

The land of the 2 Karamdads

A flu suddenly struck me yesterday. The air pollution of vehicles passing by is also beginning to take its toll on me. It would be good to conduct a measurement of it using some kind of cabin, which insulates itself from that pollution while measuring it.

There are no bins in Martyr's Square. How does it compare to Bury Park? One must also consider the amount of pounds that have flocked here since the 1950s at least. That foreign currency is gobbled up by the Pakistani currency almost immediately and gets manipulated by that sphere of influence.

We have put ourselves deep in the pits of global isolation when we had opportunity to transact with the rest of the world. 

But Pakistan has stood between us and India. Yes, but it has also stood between us and the rest of the world.

Isolation will get us nowhere and force our whole society to support the endemically corrupt internal governance of AJK.

We can break free but don't have the knowledge, expertise, open-minded democratic mindset or tolerance to do so.

Martyr's Square Kotli is an important venue in JKA. It has the most political freedom in the whole territory and can link up in days with Bury Park, Luton.

...

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 26 of 2022

2302hrs:

It should all be downhill from here.....but never ever say never said a wise man...

........

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 25 of 2022

1922hrs:

Another day at Shaheed Chowk Kotli. Day 6 in fact. 

....

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 24 of 2022

0928hrs:

The sun is returning today after an absence of 3 days. Now, I hope to finally resume my 'Public Policy Workshop' at Shaheed Chowk (Martyr's Square) Kotli shortly.

Malik Waseem is still stuck at Saddar police station in Muzaffarabad. The Commissioner of Muzaffarabad Masood ur Rehman appears to be engineering the transfer of Malik Waseem to jail amongst other contrivances. It is also alleged by Waseem that Masood ur Rehman is personally set to benefit with 2 kanaals (10,890 square feet) of land in the vicinity of where Waseem was evicted from. A similar allegation is also being made - 1 kanaal (5,445 square feet) in this instance - about Khwaja Imtiaz (brother of Khwaja Farooq current MLA of PTI and holding the Muzaffarabad city seat). Waseem alleges there to be a third beneficiary too who he is still trying to clarify.

It should also be noted that Masood ur Rehman obtained his MSc in public policy from Kings college London UK through a Chevening scholarship. So, effectively British tax payer money has been used to fund the education of an AJK citizen who later becomes a bureaucrat and repeatedly murders public interest here. This point has also been made in my letter to the British government, which will be made public in due course.

It should also be clear that a vendetta like situation is emerging as the 'powers-that-be' try to consolidate their coup, having evicted Malik Waseem. They are countering the allegations made by Waseem through highlighting the supreme court decision against him. They even got someone in the UK to send me some harsh messages via WhatsApp, which I will elaborate on in due course, if necessary. They also sent me a voice clip of Malik Waseem's adversary outlining his stance that I wasn't aware of the other side of the story. They haven't enabled direct communication of me with him and I am keen to learn his side of the story.

Irrespective of what has occurred and will occur in due course, I wish to use the case of Malik Waseem as a case study (reference) to explain how the rich exploit the poor using the system as a tool. How both the 'land' and the 'people' of this territory are manipulated to cement external occupation of this territory and promote internal strife. By reopening or publicising Malik Waseem's case we can explore - exactly what happens - to execute such operations. How land documents are tampered with, how money is circulated within the system to contrive results in favour of the powerful, against the powerless. Even if it surfaces that Malik Waseem is at fault somewhere down the line I am willing to accept that. It will still be a victory for public interest becomes it will lead towards transparency of the system.

For those that insist that nothing can be done in Waseem Malik's case because the supreme court has given its verdict, need to understand the following provision:

Curative powers of the supreme court - court can reopen a case to cure or correct an error.

.....     

A sunny day after what seemed many a day:

Correspondingly, the first video after a couple of days break:

......

Day's Finance:

Opening Balance = 1,100

Y: (Incoming)

5,000

X:

80 - cigarettes for co-citizen

100 - chicken shwarma

150 - kahwa x 5

50 - dates

5,000 - Malik Waseem

(5,000 - borrowed for Malik Waseem)

*Sent 10,000 to Malik Waseem

Total sent to Malik Waseem to date: 30,000

Closing Bal. 720 

.......

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 23 of 2022

1852hrs:

Remaining calm amidst the storm is key to success. Multi-tasking efficiently, handling non-stop communication and probing the cement like structure of endemic corruption; have all to be done simultaneously. 

We continue to feature Malik Waseem and his family's plight for very obvious reasons. He's still in custody without charge at Saddar Thaana (police station) in Muzaffarabad. Given all the reaction in his favour, there has been retaliation on all fronts from his adversaries.

Just imagine, if we can't address the requirements of justice on such a small scale internally, how are we going to address external occupation and aggression?

As the battle continues for the 'Land' and the 'People', it is clear to me that Malik Waseem has always been disadvantaged by lack of finance compared to his adversary and thus his family's eviction. If we want public interest to flourish we - as the public - have to put 'our money where our mouth is' so to speak. I have undertaken to ensure Malik Waseem's family is provided adequate food and shelter during this legal fight and that he be provided adequate funds to meet legal costs.  

I've started by sending his family 14 of the 15,000 or so that I had on me. I enquired from my wife as to the state of our family kitchen and was informed that we are low and only have enough to get through the week. I then borrowed 6,000 to ensure that Malik Waseem's family receives at least 20,000 today and that he can begin making a payment towards legal fees. Obviously, I have begun asking others to contribute and I'm sure at least some of them will contribute in due course. I will keep the public posted on what is received and spent on a daily basis hereon in this weblog.

It should also be remembered that I took an assurance from Malik Waseem that whatever his arguments are in his favour, that he can prove those in a court/testimony as well as in the court of the public. Likewise, that he can disprove all the allegations that are being made against him. I also reminded him of my - thus far - unblemished role in pursuing public interest here in AJK and that if he - Malik Waseem - has or will prove dishonest in anything he says, will have a direct bearing on my work and person. He answered in the affirmative and I thus have proceeded to devote my energies to resolving his land issue. Which will not only resolve his issue but will take us on the path of resolving all other pending land issues in this territory. Which - in turn - will give us all the moral clout to address the external aggression on our territory.  

I am also ready to be proved wrong - if that be the case - and will admit my misjudgement wholeheartedly. I will also be ready for any punishment that the public wish to mete out to me.

.....

For the record, it should be noted that Malik Waseem's family have also made an online complaint to the Pakistani lent officer in AJK on this matter. Obviously, I don't agree with making complaints to the occupier but I can understand the family's concerns. They have the moral prerogative to complain or appeal to anybody for what has been meted out to them. Even if its the Pakistani army or India's prime minister Narendra Modi.     

......

Day's Finance:

Opening Balance = 15,870

Y: (Incoming)

0

X:

70 - breakfast (paratha, half fired egg and channa)

100 - cigarettes

14,000 - Malik Waseem

(6,000 - borrowed for Malik Waseem)

270 - cigarettes

130 - multi power plug

200 - chicken zinger burger and 7-up

*Sent 20,000 to Malik Waseem

Total sent to Malik Waseem to date: 20,000

Closing Bal. 1,100

.......

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 22 of 2022

1034hrs:

The third night in a row that I haven't been able to sleep properly. Two nights at Shaheed Chowk (Martyr's square) Kotli and one night prior which was spent in preparation.

I can barely sit and write but....the show must rumble on...

Malik Waseem is apparently missing again, according to Latif Akbar (President of Pakistan People's Party in AJK and hails from a constituency in Muzaffarabad tehsil/subdivision) who contacted me this morning, to enquire as to which police station was Waseem detained in. We've also been advised to file a habeas corpus petition on his behalf, by a very senior lawyer.

More (and much more) in a bit....I can barely keep my eyes open.

......  

1512hrs: (Update)

I managed to get some much needed shut eye for a couple of hours in a friend's shop and this has re-energised me somewhat. 

Rain remains incessant and the temperature is dropping too. I haven't been able to sit in the chowk today yet. There are tonnes of matter pending as anyone who is familiar with my work can imagine.

Meanwhile....

The police have insisted that the complainants reference Malik Waseem's detention (without charge) at Saddar Thaana should speak to the DC and that only he could release him. The complainants duly did so with their advocate. DC Nadeem Ahmed Janjua refused to entertain them or their application. This prompted me to contact the DC myself, whom I have been acquainted with in the past. 

Me:

Huzoor....can you update us on the Malik Waseem issue. I have been conducting a 'Public Policy Workshop' at Shaheed Chowk Kotli for the past 3 days and there are a few thousand people constantly engaged on this issue - at home and abroad - I will be writing to the British government on this issue and related matters of governance,  specifically in reference to their unfulfilled responsibilities under Indian Independence Act. Thank you.... Tanveer Ahmed

DC:

There are decisions of courts 

Do study those decisions 

Regards

Me:

There is an abundance of ambiguity and contestation about due legal process in reference to this case as well as over 80% of land (revenue department) related decisions in general, in AJK.

Please note the role of Judge Tariq Custodian who the evicted family claim tampered documents, which were then subsequently used as reference in subsequent court proceedings, which ultimately led to decisions being made against this family.

The evicted family have made it clear that they want an official enquiry into the court record on this issue. 

The AJK administration is effectively displacing a poor refugee family from Evacuee Property to give it to another refugee who has since settled in England and who doesn't suffer from the conditions that this poor family does. In other words, the latter is not dependant on this land and will only sell it to the highest bidder. The human cost of this commercial transaction is too much for any right minded public rights activist to bear.

In the wider State of JKA perspective since 1947, this case takes us back to those events and forced migration in particular. The land in question belongs to the descendants of Ratan Singh and Sardar Singh and has been occupied by a poor refugee family of Kupwara, who in turn are being displaced once again for commercial purposes, based on an allegedly malafide procedure.

As this case continues to gain increasing traction at home and in the diaspora the implications could be very far reaching.

Meanwhile, thank you for your response. It has been duly noted.

End of communication....

Now, it has been intimated to me by other sources that Commissioner Muzaffarabad Masood ur Rehman has been tasked with managing this increasingly delicate issue (caught between the Indian, Pakistani and internal narratives of JKA). He's been given such tasks before in his previous incarnations and from direct experience of him, he has always murdered public interest for the sake of powerful lobbies - the Muhammad Ali Murtaza case on the LOC in Khuiratta 2013 - when he was DC Kotli, maybe an exception.  

It is also clear from sources that the police and other authorities are keen on blackmailing Malik Waseem by conditioning his release, on him giving a guarantee that he will no longer publicly protest his plight. They've also conditioned the release of the womenfolk of his family from a refugee shelter on similar assurances, backed by a legal bond (machalka) of 50,000 rupees each.

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 21 of 2022

1038hrs:

It has been a very testing past 8 hours or so. It was my first night under the sky at Shaheed Chowk Kotli. I was well equipped and found tremendous support from various activists of Kotli, who were keen to learn of my every need. However, at about 0230hrs it began to rain. 

I initially put up with it because I had a thick duvet covering me and goatskin underneath me. Yet when light rain turned into drizzle by about 0530hrs I had to make a run for cover in an alleyway nearby, carrying my drenched sleeping gear with me. It was just as well that I had very thick clothing which still protected my body but my feet were soaked and my footwear had already been exposed.

I had only about 3 hours sleep yesterday and today I managed even less. 

 

Thus, at the time of writing, despite accepting one of my local hosts offer of 'siri paya' (Buffalo's hooves) for breakfast I still feel absolutely exhausted. I must push on however.

It was a lively day at the chowk with an uninterrupted gathering of various people at regular intervals, while giving due consideration to traffic.

One visitor was the flamboyant JJ who wanted to interview me:

As evening pressed on, the temperature also began dipping:  

Let's try and capture the zeitgeist in our territory:

Very revealing...of #GovernanceinAJK https://t.co/DCT80B8Os1

— Tanveer Ahmed (@sahaafi) January 22, 2022

The following is point blank:

اگر حکومت آزاد کشمیر حق خودارادیت کے لئے اپنے حصے کے اقدام نہیں کر سکتی، تو الحاق پاکستان کی شرائط کیسے طے کر سکتی ہے؟@PMOAJK @ChLatifAkbar1 @farooq_pm @tariqfarooq60 @ImranKhanPTI @MaryamNSharif @BBhuttoZardari @JIPOfficial @OfficialDGISPR

— Syed Nazir Gilani (@JKCHR) January 21, 2022

The above tweet translates as:

(My effort)

If the AJK government cannot take steps as part of its responsibility with reference to self-determination, then how can it meet the conditions for accession to Pakistan?

I then thought I should clarify from the man himself, a jurist and authority on the UN and Kashmir. His response:

Yes. "How would it qualify to negotiate the terms for accession".

To be more precise:

If the Government of Azad Kashmir cannot under take its share of actions in reference to self-determination – how can it negotiate terms to accede to Pakistan?

.......

Let me now rewind to the updates after midnight this morning:

0132hrs (Update):

The 2 other members of Malik Waseem's family have been released viz. his brother and nephew. Apparently the police have withdrawn Section 341 and charged him with 16 MPO (related to breaching public order) and of course he is in detention. My thought is that they changed the charge to circumvent his bail order but a lawyer would offer a better opinion. The police and particularly those whose interests they are serving are keen to play carrot and stick, to make Waseem resign from his desire to return to the land his family had lived on since 1949.

A lot of cash has changed hands in London between his adversary (co-claimant to Ratan Singh's land) and those who covet that land, alleges Waseem.

2350hrs (Update):

I've been informed that Malik Waseem's condition is critical because of his hunger strike since being arrested yesterday evening (Thursday). The police are saying that they haven't even written an FIR. Effectively, they've detained him illegally. Earlier today, the police informed Waseem's family that they will release him tonight but they didn't.

.....

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 20 of 2022

0328hrs:

The land of Ratan Singh's descendants, adjacent to the 'Chatti Badshahat' of the Sikhs of Muzaffarabad and occupied by fellow affectees of the 1947 religious-based conflict in Jammu Kashmir & Allied took another horrible turn just after midnight.

Malik Waseem, his brother Naeem Malik, Naeem's son Asad and their maternal nephew Saad, 4 womenfolk and 3 children of their household were brutally manhandled by the police and taken away. For a while it wasn't clear where they had been taken.

An hour or so later it emerged that the women had been taken to a shelter while Malik Waseem's whereabouts have not been established yet (0405hrs). He had initially also been taken to the police station but then taken elsewhere (so we thought) but it became clear later in the evening that he had evaded arrest and remained 'underground' till he could obtain bail, unknown to the rest of us.  

The land of Ratan Singh's descendants, adjacent 2 the #ChattiBadshahat of the #SikhsofMuzaffarabad & occupied by fellow affectees of the 1947 religious-based conflict n #JKA took another horrible turn just after midnight. Refugees of #Kupwara were arrested #JusticeForMalikWaseem pic.twitter.com/FH4gz2mxK5

— Tanveer Ahmed (@sahaafi) January 19, 2022

KFD TV in the UK is also alert on this matter and communication is being established with the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva, Switzerland:

Today's newspapers are also following the story:

I finally got to sleep at around 0700hrs....only to be woken up by a phone call at 1030hrs.....I am getting late for my midday appointment at Shaheed Chowk Kotli. Malik Waseem is still missing soon after being arrested just beyond midnight. The womenfolk of his family have been forced by the police into a refugee shelter (reliving 1947 yet again, despite 3 generations on). Meanwhile, a tussle between the Indian and Pakistani influences on JKA are zeroing in on this issue.

I reached Kotli at about 1500hrs, 3 hours later than I wanted to. Almost immediately a steady trickle of activists began visiting me but we first needed to clean our working space. The litter here is testament to the title of the following video. People who feel a sense of ownership over any land or property do not ignore garbage in their midst:

Once that operation was out of the way, we could sit down and begin interacting....

1851hrs (Update):

Indeed, it has transpired that Malik Waseem evaded arrest last night and is still at large but concealed on his own volition. The police have charged him, his elder brother Naeem Malik and Naeem's son Asad with Section 341 (obstructing a path apparently). The latter 2 are in police custody while the womenfolk of his family have been put in a refugee shelter in Jalalabad, Muzaffarabad. Waseem's parents are at a friend's house. Apologies for any misunderstanding.

I described the following picture as, 'Preparing for the twilight zone in Shaheed Chowk -  Kotli'

2100hrs (Update):

Message from Malik Waseem: "I have been arrested despite bail order and am at Thana (police station) Saddar (Muzaffarabad). I have begun a hunger strike till release."

Upon request by some students who came to visit me in the evening, I gave my first 'Public Policy Workshop' lecture at the stroke of midnight:

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 19 of 2022

2144hrs:

Of course, I am primarily consumed with the Malik Waseem case. This is their third day out in the cold. I felt a lot of anger inside me for 'allowing' this to happen. One always feel there is more that they could have done to prevent matters from getting this far.

In my morning conversation with him it became clear that mounting pressure is developing on him by the administration to make a 'deal' but his response is that why isn't his adversary given a 'deal'? Why is he being uprooted? 

He also has the answer.

There is a new judicial complex being built nearby and that has increased the value of Ratan Singh's land. Land speculators want him out first, knowing that he and his family will resist - and is resisting - and they also know that the other members of the community may not put up such a resistance on their turn. It should be remembered that this is 'evacuee property'. It cannot be sold or commercialised - its occupancy can only be interim - until the evacuee's descendants return or some other amicable solution is arrived at, to the satisfaction of the people of Jammu Kashmir & Allied areas. The Indians played ball on 'evacuee property' on that side until the 5th of August 2019 - in general - and as far as one has gathered from anecdotal evidence thus far. However, demographic changes are apace there now, we are informed.  

In short, the 'big fish' want to gobble up the 'small fish' without mercy. The classic contest between strong and weak is in full flow.

This is why the Commissioner of Muzaffarabad Masood ur Rehman (remember him? does Mahmood Musafir ring a bell?) cannot agree with Malik Waseem's story, as pointed out in yesterday's weblog entry. Apparently, some bureaucrats and members of the judiciary have already worked out how much and who is going to benefit from this land grab.

The original Sikh owners are nowhere in the picture. The claiming adversary of Malik Waseem lives in the UK and will profit from acting as proxy. Someone needs to interview him, if possible.

Meanwhile, it may be notable to add that Malik Waseem's father Ghulam Qadir and his paternal uncle Wali Muhammad are retired soldiers of the Pakistani army. They have both appealed for help, protection and justice. In a sea of drowning hope, they have both made a plea to the Pakistani army to intervene:

Father Ghulam Qadir

Uncle Wali Muhammad 

Coverage of Waseem's family issue has expanded to various platforms on social media. Here's an example:

AJK Point (media channel in Muzaffarabad) also made a thoughtful video which cannot be embedded for some reason, despite several attempts. (You can click the hyperlink 'embedded' in the previous sentence to access it though.

In the evening I called Sardar Shameem Sahaab for an emergency meeting on Malik Waseem's issue. Here's a summary of the conversation:

It seems the pressure on Waseem from various quarters has forced him to retract or clarify his statement about India's prime minister. Who else but Irfan Ashraf (remember him from Tehreek e Jawanaan vs. JKNSF in Kotli?) to provide the platform:

Most of us will be able to add 2 + 2 together above.

.....

As we are on the subject of enforced migrations, let's find time to also explore the plight of the Kashmiri Pandits:

Kashmiri Pandits Observe 32nd Black Day https://t.co/ZOYmAcShE9 via @dailytimespak @manojsinha_ @ashokbhan11 @santoshkashmiri @rraina1481 @MuzzafarShah1 @tarigami @ghulamnazad @HCI_London @RahulGandhi @SheikhAamir_inc @Iftikhar_Misgar @MUHAMMA88520330 @AdvNeelofar

— Syed Nazir Gilani (@JKCHR) January 19, 2022

.....

Let's change the subject now, or at least some of it. I thought the following Dogri song was striking, inclusive and our geographically distinct identity was clarified. Well done!

.........