Daily Diary (DD) - Day 233 of 2020

1315hrs:

Almost 70 hours later, we are still at a standstill in reference to the Pakistani flags hoisted at Maqbool Bhat Shaheed Square. 

The Dadyaal administration had asked for 48 hours to bring down the foreign symbols of disrepute in a neutral territory. They do not have the strength to bypass Pakistan's (now not so) clandestine agencies. The latter are on vigilance at the square 24 hours a day. 

Thus, we need to open up the issue on even wider parameters, as this aggression traces its steps back to Rawalpindi and Islamabad but not before passing through London, Beijing, Washington and Delhi.

This will assist us in obtaining closure on many fronts.

Our judiciary is the only institution that remains to be engaged in what is essentially a legal, constitutional issue.

All other aspects of society are well engaged and ready to assist in clarifying the legal status of this territory.

I've said as much on Facebook too:



All the people in this picture and their well wishers are responsible for fulfilling the agreement made between JKLF and the local administration.    

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 232 of 2020

1942hrs:

We have to keep vigilance on our neighbourhood too:

Except that bth countries have Jammu Kashmir & Allied n btwn thm. Neither have conducted much field study, let alone acknowledge the legal & democratic rights of the inheritors of this legally sovereign territory. I hpe bth countries cn come 2 terms wth civil norms n 2020. #JandK https://t.co/Ph452Nll1T

— Tanveer Ahmed (@sahaafi) August 19, 2020

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 231 of 2020

1528hrs:

24 hours later, I feel even stronger than I did before I conducted the 52 hour hunger strike. 

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Here's just one more example of what my co-citizens done for me, or more pointedly for their national cause:

Well done bro❤️❤️❤️@sahaafi pic.twitter.com/SX4WjyOXUg

— Voice of Paniola (@VPaniola) August 18, 2020

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 229 of 2020

2025hrs:

It has now been over 32 hours without a morsel or drop of water passing through my lips. It has also been 2 sweltering afternoons of heat.

Yet no abatement of preservation of ambition by the Municipal Administrator Aftab Ahmed, or Assistant Commissioner Sardar Zeeshan or even President of Trader's Association Dadyaal Anwar Daar.

I am dealing with a highly self-centered society and it will be a fine line between victory and defeat for public interest in AJK.

It will also be a fine line between life and death for Tanveer Ahmed.

We can only hope for the best outcome.

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I am very grateful to all those co-citizens of mine who turbo-boosted this public activity via social media, way beyond expectation. Here's a sample of initiative taken by Dr Khwaja A Hamid:

تنویر احمد
ڈڈیال مقبول بٹ چوک پر بھوک ہرتال پہ ہیں،تنویر صاحب کی آخری وصیت اگر میری موت واقع ہو جاۓ تو سیز فائر لائن پہ فین کی جاۓ۔قبر پر سفید پرچم لہرایا جاۓ۔#StaywithTanveer @sahaafi @AKLM_0FFICIAL @rkot @Nomijk @N1tFayQtOyfT9Qv @BabarN_JK_BNM @NazeerBhat3 @nsiddique229 pic.twitter.com/uLp57vxzGf

— Malik Anees Kashmiri (@MalikAneesKash1) August 17, 2020

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 228 of 2020

2049hrs:

I have been on an indefinite hunger strike since midday today. 

I do fully understand that the Pakistanis want to fully integrate us into their country, in a not too dissimilar manner to what the Indians have done since August the 5th 2019.

They have worked hard to propagate the Pakistani flag in Dadyaal this year and have cleverly used the so-called AJK flag as a decoy to gain acceptance in our society.

They are as devious as always and need to be stopped in their tracks.

There's no better venue than Maqbool Bhat Shaheed Square for this litmus test.

May the sincerest win...

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 227 of 2020

1545hrs:

I am being kept busy today as can be ascertained from the following embeds:

Then I had to attend to this piece of aggression:

I've been struggling to maintain my composure and 'rationalise' the situation since:

For those of you who can't read the details of the post above:

India and Pakistan attained their 'freedom' on condition that they sustain religious hatred between Hindu and Muslim. This condition designed by the British Empire has enslaved Jammu Kashmir & Allied.

It has also given stakes to China & the USA.

For all thoughtful, conscientious and humane Indians and Pakistanis; today and tomorrow cannot possibly be a time to celebrate.

A Peace Strategy vs. A War Strategy

...end of post

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Take a good look at the two contrasting pictures below:



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Another flag story from Muzaffarabad, given that it is the 14th of August after all.



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It is extremely important to understand how low the intake is for the Pakistani narrative in AJK. We are not creating a storm in a tea cup by any means. The following video is from earlier today in Kotli:



Notice that the intention of the Pakistani overbearers was to engage hundreds - if not thousands - of locals to take part in this procession to validate local support for Pakistan on their independence day. However, as the narrator in the video confirms, there are barely a couple of dozen people accompanying this fanciful Pakistani flag. Some were members of a local welfare organisation while many of the rest were Pakistani nationals working in Kotli.

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Just to provide further clarity, here's a mighty procession that took place in Rawalakot consisting of what looks like 3 government vehicles and a handful of sympathisers who again may either be government servants or even Pakistanis working in Rawalakot:

راولاکوٹ میں جی ایچ کیو کے غلاموں کا جنازہ جارہا ہے جس میں چند سرکاری جماعت کے لوگ ہی شریک ہوئے #BlackDayOfSubcontinent#HistoricBlander#BritishDivideAndRule@AmmadnaseerKhan @GulBukhari @Gulalai_Ismail @OfficialDGISPR @Aliwazirna50 @sahaafi pic.twitter.com/6SB7xut3Af

— Asif khan (@masifkhan569) August 14, 2020

Thus, the Pakistani narrative is certainly dead in AJK but not yet buried. 

In my assessment, what appeared to be 73% in AJK against the Pakistani narrative in 2016 - according to my lengthy public opinion survey shot up even further post August the 5th 2019, especially when Pakistan proved incompetent to counter India's move to totally integrate Jammu Kashmir & Allied into its own union.

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 226 of 2020

2359hrs:

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 225 of 2020

2355hrs:

The bike is in Plaak and I am in Dadyaal.

A rousing welcome and a missed funeral.

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 224 of 2020

2109hrs:

In Chakswari but in a rural setting. So serene and a place to be in summer, away from urban clutter and humidity.

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 223 of 2020

2359hrs:

Just in time.......I am so engaged with the public that I can't even complete my multiple upload targets......A heavy day in Akaalgarh and an unprecedented welcome, particularly by the journalist community.

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 222 of 2020

1114hrs:

A lot of people have died this year. Many from Covid 19 perhaps but many others too whom I knew or was acquainted with. One such person was Dr Agha Ashraf Ali, a huge giant of an intellect who mesmerised me with his thoughts one summer afternoon, at his home in Srinagar in 2009. Many in the Valley of Kashmir are paying homage to him but the world should remember him and much of what he said. 

He also happened to be the father of Agha Shahid Ali, the brilliant poet who lost his life in youth in the USA in an accident. His father came through that to live a few decades beyond.

Dr Agha Ashraf Ali commanded the respect of his compatriots, irrespective of their religious orientation or political leanings. Here's an example: 

He was staunchly pro independence but took account of all humane elements in intellectual discourse. I was very fortunate to have received a glowing review of my work by this great man. It is referenced here in this very weblog.

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I am finally proceeding ahead to continue my bicycle ride from Chamb to Sharda, 15 days after arriving in Mirpur prior to which I had spent 7 days on the road. Next stop is Akaalgarh.

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 221 of 2020

1450hrs:

I'm getting closer to my current targets but there is always a lot more to do than there are hours in the day. At least, there is no possibility of boredom in this line of duty. That is probably why we remain motivated despite there being zero financial benefit accruing from such activity.

Mirpur holds its first Public (People's) Assembly monthly convention today. it has proved more pro-active than all other 31 tehsils in AJK. This is not surprising considering that Mirpur has historically been at the forefront of political resistance in the region, even pre 1947. Remember Raja Akbar Khan?

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 220 of 2020

2220hrs:

I was consumed in work yesterday - both inside and outside - that I didn't remember that I needed to input a daily diary entry viz. Day 219 of 2020. At least not till the stroke of midnight when I didn't have internet access at hand.

A lot goes into a day's work and recognising the nuances of timing is an acquired skill. In my case, straining to acquire it over many years but still being far from an optimum level.

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 218 of 2020

1500hrs:

We are certain that whatever we do today in terms of condemning our 2 southerly neighbours will be insignificant compared to what we need to do over the coming months to enable sanity to prevail in global geopolitics. Here's a sample of what we conducted today:

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I'm inclined to estimate that genuine pressure on the British government is slowly mounting in reference to their unfulfilled responsibilities in Jammu Kashmir & Allied. Here's a typical non committal response by the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office to a letter by the Scottish activist Claire Bidwell:

This has generated a discussion at the following FB link:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/worldkashmirteaparty/permalink/1098076913922846/

This is a particular comment thread that includes my comment:

Sagir Ahmed:

Tanveer Ahmed commented: As the unresolved status of Jammu Kashmir & Allied is a political problem created by the British Empire, all political prisoners throughout the territory are the moral and legal responsibility of the UK government. They should no longer be allowed to continue 'passing the buck' to India and Pakistan, both countries which came into being precisely according to the British Empire's satisfaction. They also not only facilitated the entry of Indian and Pakistan troops into JKA but stabilised their presence too. In 2020, it is no longer clever of them to abdicate responsibility. Nature has its own way of biting back.

Claire Bidwell:

It does indeed and I will keep biting them here until I get deeper answers!

Soraya Boyd:


Sagir salaams. Britain is exceptionally good in fact it really does excel at it: it creates a problem, makes a mess and leaves with great pomp and circumstance. A very very British characteristic. Britain has done this many times over. Just a few examples: Palestine and Kashmir. Of course our responsibility as Brits is to hold our gov to account. We do and we will continue to. Rest assured. Undoubtdely politicians by and large are very good at postponing the inevitable but FREEDOM WILL BE YOURS brother.

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Meanwhile, pressure is also mounting on the Pakistani government to stop prolonging this needless conflict by pursuing a territorial dispute with India. According to the prime minister of AJK, this is what negates the genuine pursuit of the right to self determination by the people of Jammu Kashmir & Allied:



I understand that I will have to transcribe this video into Urdu text and then translate it into English:

Note:

The basis of the current AJK government finds its origins in the 24 October 1947 provisional government declaration. It is reproduced here directly from its founding president Sardar Ibrahim Khan's book, 'Kashmir Saga':

Page 117

Page 118

Page 119

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 217 of 2020

2336hrs:

It is getting darker by the hour...but there will be much sunshine ahead........the depths bring organic opportunity..............

Managing the tension ahead will be the most difficult task.

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 216 of 2020

2046hrs:

My health has worsened over the past 24 hours but I'm battling on.......racing against time of course.

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Pakistan's foreign minister also arrived in Muzaffarabad today, if only to increase the sense of ridicule that our public is displaying towards the Pakistanis.

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 215 of 2020

1645hrs:

I wanted to leave Mirpur today at all costs but I still haven't completed my 'desk' targets yet. I am close though and despite picking up flu symptoms last night I'm battling on.

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The following interview was pending for upload since it was conducted on the 16th of October 2019:



Here's an intro to the interviewee:

Asif Hashmi

Singer, songwriter, composer of Bagh has spent over 12 years promoting local J & K culture through his artistic efforts but only receives verbal/written applause or recognition. The society whose rights he is working for do not provide him with practical assistance, so that he may deliver even more and better than what he is doing on his own steam. This is the story of our society and the major reason why we are not making any progress in our rights struggle.

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For those who are really serious about Jammu Kashmir & Allied's independence have a lot to learn from Switzerland:

Plenty of food for thought for #JandK Watch "How Switzerland Stayed Neutral" on YouTube https://t.co/F3xQdqtnID

— Tanveer Ahmed (@sahaafi) August 2, 2020

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 214 of 2020

1729hrs:

Eid Mubarak to all those of you who are celebrating today and to all those who celebrated yesterday, wherever you are in the world.

I have learned from sources on the ground in Muzaffarabad that the Pakistani State's political representatives - in the shape of their Kashmir Committee - have been visible at the main Eidgah in the capital today. There is a sense brewing that the Pakistanis are preparing for something major on the 5th of August. They are of course being quite 'mum' about it. What is clear though is that whatever is brewing in the Pakistani mind in reference to AJK is unprecedented.

We also understand that the Kashmir Committee members will also be visiting the various squalid refugee camps scattered throughout Muzaffarabad and its vicinity.

Meanwhile, I remember our UK diaspora urging me to write an open letter to the then newly elected prime minister of Pakistan Imran Khan in the summer of 2018. I explained at the time that the time was not right. We needed to assess his performance over a period of time before developing any meaningful communication.

Given the AJK government's inability or undesirability to make its communication with the Pakistani State open and public, particularly as to what has transpired in the past week or so, I think this is now the optimum moment to draft this open letter to the Pakistani prime minister. Our public's anxieties about the Pakistani State's intent with reference to the status of AJK have reached an unprecedented high.

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Today's diary also coincides with our latest update of the People's Assembly concept and development in AJK. Thus, it was about time that I uploaded the bulk of the discussion that took place at 'Taryabi ni Baithak' on the 19th of December 2019, based upon which some questions emerged from the audience; the answers of which will be incorporated into the latest People's Assembly document:



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