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Showing posts with label Delivering Governance to AJK. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Delivering Governance to AJK. Show all posts

Sunday, 2 August 2026

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 214 of 2026

0336hrs:

It can be understood on this 59th day of an imposed war by Pakistan to cover up its incompetence to deliver 'governance' to AJK, that an 11 day lapse in daily weblogging is to be considered 'normal'. 

Not only is our net connectivity extremely limited and confined to diminishing pockets of land where we are able to catch signals from the 'enemy country', our normal phone service is also extremely limited, especially in the epicentre of this do or die war in Poonch division. 

Today's weblog will feature an open letter that I wrote to JK JAAC (Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee) given that there is still a gap between their understanding of the critical scenario we all collectively face in AJK and that of this writer. 

Such gaps are inevitable and should be acknowledged as healthy differences between a diverse set of people; with varying levels of expertise, experience, exposure and skill sets. 

This writer understands the immense responsibility on the shoulders of the core committee of JK JAAC and their need to play 'safe' in terms of public narrative. Rather than insisting that they change their narrative from a 'demands based' strategy to an 'ownership-building' strategy - it is more appropriate to regularly convey one's concerns and maintain engagement during these critical times - that are undoubtedly unprecedented in the 78 year history of AJK. 

..

The following letter was written on the 26th of July 2026:

Open Letter to JK JAAC from JKA PUBLIC AGENCY

On the 52nd day of this imposed war by the Pakistani State (without genuine constitutional or legal basis) on the land & population of the territory of Azad Jammu & Kashmir, I (Tanveer Ahmed - an independent researcher supporting all public interest endeavours in this territory for the past 21 years) wish to put my concerns and reservations to you in an open, transparent & public manner; as it is most certainly a matter of life & death for #RightsMovementAJK in general, as well as Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee #JK #JAAC in particular.

In my opinion, it needs to be understood that whatever the Pakistani State says or does is a matter of ambiguity and deception. This is true to form of its record as a country since its birth in August 1947.

2 aims of the Pakistani State in this current war on the whole population of AJK are:

1) To totally crush any form of public rights movement in the territory - either through brute force where possible or by deception while using the sacred faith of Islam as a propaganda tool - with particular targeting of JAAC and its sympathisers, who in many estimations has reached 90% of the population.

2) To forcibly integrate AJK & Gilgit Baltistan into the Pakistani federation, in a similar manner to what India did on the other side of the LOC on 5 August 2019.

It is in such circumstances that I have regularly engaged with JAAC since the 10th of June 2026 (47 days ago when we all camped out at Eidgaah, Dreak, Rawalakot, Poonch and where we all remain).

I did intimate, advise & stress to all present core members from the 14th of June 2026 onwards - in written form - that JAAC should under no circumstances engage in direct talks with any form of representation from the State of Pakistan - without credible external mediation - which in my opinion could only be UK MPs of AJK origin, given Britain's colonial legacy and stakes of these MPs in our territory.

I also advised that JAAC should ask our diaspora to explore international legal options to make the State of Pakistan accountable for their unwarranted aggression.

On the 28th of June, in light of local public opinion analysing the prevailing scenario of the Pakistani State's continuous onslaught of killings, arrests and targeted torture of our activists; coupled with the non-commitment of the United Kingdom to fulfill its legal responsibilities: I advised JAAC to abandon their 38 point charter and concentrate on exercising the people's authority (ref. JKA PUBLIC AGENCY Note: #E212423062026 ).

Given that hitherto JAAC had strictly abided by the prevailing (clearly imposed) constitutional framework in AJK, despite it contradicting the 24th October 1947 provisional government declaration (born out of a rebellion against the autocratic ruler), the UN conflict resolution framework, the Pakistani constitution and all generally accepted universal human rights norms. I understood that to be a prudent strategy to focus on delivering basic needs to the AJK population, while avoiding the aggression of the Pakistani State wherever possible.

Now that aggression has come to the forefront of global attention, whereby the Pakistani State proved once again that it is not capable of abiding by its own (colonially crafted) laws, nor is it capable of fulfilling any verbal or written agreements. Rather it is only capable of wanton aggression or deceptive dialogue to try and get it's way.

I thus urged you - JAAC - to adopt a legal & constitutional stance that reflects our status as subjects cum citizens locally and what is confirmed by international law viz. that the inhabitants of this territory are the genuinely entitled, whereas India & Pakistan are claimants to our State, whose legality can only be derived from the local people's reference, without compulsion or enticement.

In this regard, I remind you that we - as a people under siege - can no longer afford that the Pakistani State dictate our defence, communications, currency & foreign policy. Not just because they never abided by any genuine legal procedure to obtain these public policy subjects but that they have abused whatever little trust our people had in them, irrespective of the Pakistani State's self-serving assumptions.

I for one - and I am sure that I speak for many others - cannot return to our homes in Mirpur division or Muzaffarabad division where our lives, wealth & honour continue to remain at the mercy of the Pakistani State.

We must exercise our right to self determination using our own initiative and our entitlement as State subjects cum aspiring citizens of an increasingly globalised world, just as most of the rest of the world has done, rather than naively await for some sort of green signal or non existent certification from elsewhere to protect our lives, wealth & honour. 

Only the people of this territory can guarantee peace in this territory and only the people of Jammu Kashmir & Allied (areas) can guarantee peace in their State. 78 years of regional conflict have proved that neither India nor Pakistan, or even the rest of the world can guarantee peace here.

Thus, I urge JAAC to shift their strategy to an internally designed governance delivery model, that will revive a thousands of years old peace economy, rather than persist with an externally reliant demands based governance delivery model, that will do its utmost to try and kill us to prevent delivery, whilst inevitably keeping our future generations stuck in a conflict economy.

If you all recall my public briefing to JAAC on the 30th of March 2026 in Dadyaal, I did state that we have overcome the prevention of rights barrier constructed by Muzaffarabad in May 2024 and are on the verge of overcoming the prevention of rights barrier constructed by Islamabad (Pakistan), as they have no intention of fulfilling these 38 demands you have enlisted and will turn on you to try and cover their incompetence. The next (3rd) barrier is our own egos which we have to manage in order to drive forward this internally designed governance delivery model, that has taken 21 years of independent research to complete and which requires an internal public contract between each other to succeed. This will prepare us for an external public contract with the rest of the world, the last and final (4th) barrier.

Finally, I urge you to concentrate on restoring our 'Right to Rule' (Haq e Hukmrani) in Poonch division first, where the people's authority is operating effectively in response to the massacre of our people by Pakistani security forces on the 7th & 8th of June 2026 in Rawalakot. Those who can secure their territory can also rule over it.

Poonch division's success will be emulated by Mirpur division and then Muzaffarabad division, just like the beginning of #RightsMovementAJK in 2023 began here in Poonch, before being adopted by Mirpur and then Muzaffarabad. In this respect, I maintain my stance as from the outset (5 June 2026) that we need not converge on Muzaffarabad. It was a capital decided externally to focus our attention on Srinagar. That all changed on the 5th of August 2019 when the joint understanding of India & Pakistan to usurp our State became clear to the world. We also need to change in light of what the Pakistani State is trying to do since the 5th of June 2026.

If we remain stuck on the 2nd barrier (Islamabad), we are in danger of being usurped by Pakistan and they will tell the world that JAAC had no internal plan for governance delivery and that is why they kept on making demands to us, which created chaos in the AJK territory. This is why we had to crush them before integrating this territory into Pakistan.

That is not a reflection of reality in AJK or its people's aspirations & reservations. Let us not play into the hands of the aggressively deceitful Pakistani State.

JKA PUBLIC AGENCY Note: #EJAAC081426072026

....

Later in the day, the supposed 2nd phase of elections in (Muzaffarabad division) AJK looked quite like the following in a practical sense:

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Thursday, 2 April 2026

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 92 of 2026

1035hrs:

No false start today is a relief, despite being a very late start. Yesterday's all-nighter continued till about 1100hrs yesterday morning, before I obtained about 5 hours sleep. The rest of the afternoon & evening didn't prove so efficient and I worked hard to sleep after 2100hrs. I had to keep my eyes closed for hours on end before falling into deep sleep way beyond midnight last night, which helped me recharge till c. 0900hrs this morning (a clear 6 hours later than my aspired for routine viz. 0300hrs).

At least I can now look ahead to the rest of the day in a refreshed manner and plan better for the days ahead.

....

In our daily Public Finance Update section, we are gradually introducing real time transparency to our charitable (social welfare) arm of JKA PUBLIC AGENCY. Relatively modest amounts have been sent to us intermittently in the past but now that the amounts have increased, they are likely to be a constant feature of our governance delivery model, starting from the 102 (administrative) villages of Sehnsa, Sarsaawa & Panjera.

....   

Public Finance Update:

Number of co-citizens who have paid their share (over 20 years): 
16
Number of co-citizens who have paid a portion to date, since direct public funding began in 2012:
214
Number of co-citizens who have promised to pay:
86
Number of co-citizens I have directly contacted since the 9th of October 2025 (of total 5,000):
600

Cash in Hand: 55,030
Cash Deposits: 265,551
Immediate Debts: 0

..

Social Welfare Budget (Zakat/Sadqa):

Current Deposits: 350,000 
Arrears: 22,776 (pending from 17/03/2026 - money that has been spent elsewhere momentarily but needs to be rightfully returned to this fund)
Distributed (today): 23,000
Balance: 327,000

....  

Monday, 26 January 2026

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 26 of 2026

0941hrs:

I didn't get up till 0900hrs, 6 hours later than intended. For some reason it was difficult sleeping last night and I didn't drop till past 0100hrs this morning. I did wake at 0300hrs but couldn't cope with the heavy shortfall of rest needed for a productive day.

I have a lot of work to do.

....

The following TikTok video presented by Sardar Ghaffar of Bagh provides an excellent summary of non governance in AJK, whereby the video is entitled as 'The Government of Azad Kashmir should change itself according to the changing conditions of the world' (English translation from Urdu):
 
@sardarghaffarbaghi #awamiactioncommittee #awamiactioncommittee_azadkashmir ♬ original sound - Sardar Ghaffar 

He questions how a supposed government can repetitively spend about 90% of its annual budget on salaries & benefits while just building a few roads annually to show for that 'governance, year in year out. Yet the 2 most important deficiencies in AJK and directly related to the people's economy & well-being are electricity & internet connectivity, both of which need major investment in infrastructure, yet continue to be neglected.

....

Public Finance Update:

Number of co-citizens who have paid their share (over 20 years): 
16
Number of co-citizens who have paid a portion to date, since direct public funding began in 2012:
207
Number of co-citizens who have promised to pay:
85
Number of co-citizens I have directly contacted since the 9th of October 2025 (of total 5,000):
537

Cash in Hand: 63,020
Cash Deposits: 2,41,700
Immediate Debts: 0 

.... 

Sunday, 11 January 2026

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 11 of 2026

0256hrs:

This is much closer to the time I should be beginning to input my daily content on this weblog. I did try and sleep close to 0100hrs this morning but struggled to sleep, anxious to get my routine right before 'too much water flows under the bridge'. Let's see if I can keep awake till 2000hrs this evening, which would set me up very nicely to wake at this time tomorrow.

I am to set out on another journey today, although I hope to be back by the evening.

....

I took the following screenshot at the turn of the year in light of the miracles (or rather debacles) that take place in the (conformist as in conforming to the foreign occupation) political landscape of AJK. As you can clearly from the results of the most recent legislative assembly elections in this territory (2021), the party winning 12 seats of 53 has been 'installed' in power - till the next such assembly election - due in July this year but for all practical purposes, has absolutely no relevance to governance or even democracy.


There are literally a million other reasons why these elections - within the prevailing colonial 'constitutional' structure - have become redundant, especially since the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) exposed what was left of it over the course of the past 3 years.

We are most certainly heading towards a genuinely free government: outlining its peaceful, ethical, democratic and legal procedure under the hashtag  #FreeGovtAJK2025 .

....


We made it to Palandri just before the shadows darkened, to attend the wedding of Rauf Kashmiri's only son Babar. Fate decided that we couldn't reach there in time to meet various other personalities who had attended the wedding, particularly Dr Nazir Gilani who I am still to meet in person. 

My appearance was belated as fated:


....

Inevitably, our financial stats changed today after 6 days, given our journey to Palandri.

Public Finance Update:

Number of co-citizens who have paid their share (over 20 years): 
16
Number of co-citizens who have paid a portion to date, since direct public funding began in 2012:
206
Number of co-citizens who have promised to pay:
85
Number of co-citizens I have directly contacted since the 9th of October 2025 (of total 5,000):
536

Cash in Hand: 86,010
Cash Deposits: 2,41,700
Immediate Debts: 0 

....

Friday, 24 October 2025

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 297 of 2025

1208hrs:

Countdown to end of 2025: 69 days

Each passing day should be taking us in the direction of a genuinely free government in AJK. Whether it is or not is still unclear to many people, especially those living outside, peeking in. 

In general, the public here recognises that an unprecedented level of momentum to obtain our basic rights has been generated within the territory. They may not be familiar with the more technical aspects of what is required - and this is precisely what we are focusing on explaining to them - but they certainly know that we are on the right direction and that a precise time frame cannot be decided as yet. Some estimate that we are still about 1.5/2 years away from our target.

I'm simply trying to move them along to the next level of local evolution, which if not timely could derail the whole process. Hence, my deadline given at the beginning of this year (2025) that they must fulfil the minimum requirements for a genuine government by the end of this year, of which there are just 69 days left.

.... 

Today coincides exactly with the 78 year old date when a provisional government declaration was made, forming the constitutional basis for the current government in Muzaffarabad. Details of this declaration can be found here.

78 years on, nothing written in that document rings true today or even did from the outset - except using the people as a cover - and not much remains of that government either. It has literally been shredded to pieces over the past couple of years by the public, via #JAAC .

I considered it apt that I provide a guest article to our readers, to gain a different take on how many of our people view that date in our history. It was originally written in Urdu but has an English translation too:

On the Chessboard of History, the Pieces Don’t Matter — Only the Players Change

Banditry Streak - Farhan Tariq

The region known today as Azad Kashmir — administered by Pakistan — came into being on this very night, October 24, 1947.

It was under the direction of Rawalpindi’s Commissioner Khawaja Abdul Rahim and Begum Naseem Shah Nawaz, wife of General Akbar, that the first move was made on the chessboard laid out in the name of “freedom.”

According to Muhammad Yusuf Saraf, Sardar Muhammad Ibrahim was awakened in the middle of the night and informed that he had been appointed the President of Azad Kashmir. Thus, the so-called “Base Camp Government” was born — a dream that still lingers restlessly in the pages of history.

Some still recognize that government as the foundation of freedom; others dismiss it as a mere illusion.

But history has a strange temperament — it never repeats itself, it merely changes form and shows us a new reflection.

In today’s Azad Kashmir, the same politics of alliances, betrayals and broken promises are being replayed — only the faces have changed. Once again, the public’s eyes are fixed on that same seat of power, but this time, the decision does not rest with Begum Naseem Shah Nawaz, rather with the daughter of the ruler from Larkana.

Whoever she crowns shall be deemed the new ruler of this land.

That is why the caravans of Kashmiri politicians have once again journeyed from Lahore to Larkana, each hoping to secure their fate — some offering gifts, others polishing their ambitions with flattery.

Yet, as before, the power to decide lies elsewhere.

At this stage of history, only the pieces have changed — the move remains the same, and so do the spectators.

Many observers believe that in the past seventy-eight years, only the centre of decision-making has shifted — from Lahore to Larkana — while everything else stands unchanged.

Meanwhile, a new slogan echoes through the valleys: “Right to Rule.”

The cry is loud, but its meaning remains shrouded in mist.

This land still struggles to decide whether freedom means authority — or merely permission.

Perhaps this is the 'Banditry Streak' — the streak (line) we wish to cross, yet every time, history brings us back to the footprints of our own past.

..

Here's the original article in Urdu (written) by Farhan Tariq:

تاریخ کی بساط پر مہروں کا فرق نہیں پڑتا — صرف چال چلنے والے بدل جاتے ہیں۔

رحجانی لکیر    -- فرحان طارق

پاکستان کے زیرِ انتظام کشمیر، جسے عرفِ عام میں "آزاد کشمیر" کہا جاتا ہے، کا قیام ٹھیک آج ہی کے دن، 23 اکتوبر 1947ء کی رات عمل میں آیا۔ راولپنڈی کے کمشنر خواجہ عبدالرحیم اور جنرل اکبر کی بیگم، نسیم شاہنواز، کے اشارے پر وہ بساط بچھائی گئی جس پر “آزادی” کے نام کا پہلا مہرہ چلا۔

محمد یوسف صراف کے مطابق، سردار محمد ابراہیم کو عین رات کے پچھلے پہر نیند سے جگا کر بتایا گیا کہ آپ کو آزاد کشمیر کا صدر مقرر کیا جا رہا ہے۔ یوں "بیس کیمپ" حکومت وجود میں آئی — ایک ایسا خواب جو تاریخ کے صفحات پر آج بھی جاگتا ہے۔ جسے وقت و حالات پر بیس کیمپ  مانابھی جاتا ہے اور نہیں بھی مانا جاتا۔

مگر تاریخ         کا ایک عجب مزاج ہے، وہ خود کو دہراتی نہیں، اپنی شکل بدل کر آئینہ دکھاتی ہے۔

آزاد کشمیر کی موجودہ سیاست میں جوڑ توڑ، وفاداریاں بدلنے اور وعدوں کی بازگشت پھر وہی منظر تخلیق کر رہی ہے بس کردار نئے ہیں۔ آج عوام کی نظریں پھر ایک بار اس مسند پر جمی ہیں مگر اب فیصلے کا اختیار بیگم نسیم شاہنواز کے پاس نہیں، حاکمِ زرداری کی بیٹی کے پاس ہے۔

وہ تاج جس کے سر پر رکھے گی وہی اس خطے کا نیا حکمران تصور ہوگا۔ یہی وجہ ہےکہ آزاد کشمیر  کے سیاستدانوں کے قافلے پھر لاہور سے لاڑکانہ کی دہلیزوں تک پہنچ چکے ہیں۔

کوئی تحفے دے کر قسمت کا سکندر بننا چاہتا ہے، کوئی خوشامد کے تانے بانے سے اپنی شیروانی کے بٹن سنوار رہا ہے۔ مگر فیصلہ  وہ اب بھی کسی اور کے ہاتھ میں ہے۔

تاریخ کے اس سٹیج پر اب صرف مہرے بدلے ہیں، چال وہی ہے، تماشائی بھی وہی۔

 بعض عوامی حلقوں کا کہنا ہے کہ گزشتہ 78 برسوں میں صرف فیصلے کا مرکز لاہور سے لاڑکانہ منتقل ہوا ہے باقی سب کچھ جوں کا توں ہے۔

ادھر ایک نئی صدا گونج رہی ہے، "حقِ حکمرانی" کی۔

یہ نعرہ بلند تو ہے، مگر اس کی تشریح آج بھی دھند میں لپٹی ہوئی ہے۔

یہ خطہ اب بھی یہ طے نہیں کر سکا کہ آزادی کا مطلب  اختیار ہے یا اجازت۔

شاید یہی وہ رحجانی لکیر ہے جسے ہم عبور کرنا چاہتے ہیں مگرہر بار تاریخ ہمیں اپنے ہی قدموں کے نشانوں تک واپس لے آتی ہے۔

۔۔۔۔

....

The time is nigh to reach out to UK parliamentarians who (or whose families) originate from AJK in particular and JKA in general:

UK parliamentary activism to ensure the peaceful motives of the people of AJK in particular and JKA in general, are respected and honoured by India and Pakistan, who both came into being as a consequence of legislation in that very UK parliament (ref. 18 July 1947) 

..

I would ask you all to confirm the following details and help us in profiling an exact list of current UK MPs who (or their forbears) originate from Jammu Kashmir & Allied (areas). 

It would also be helpful if you could identify an educated constituent from each of these constituencies - who also originates from our country - and may help us liaise with these MPs, to help us ensure that a policy of zero tolerance is adhered to, with respect to the peaceful exercise of self determination and peaceful pursuit of all universally recognised rights, throughout the territory of JKA:

1) Shabana Mahmood

Mangla - Mirpur (AJK) 

Birmingham Ladywood - Labour

2) Nusrat Ghani

Dadyaal - Mirpur (AJK)

Sussex Weald - Conservative

3) Afzal Khan

Bhimber (AJK)

Manchester Rusholme - Labour

4) Rosena Allin-Khan (Need to confirm)

?

Tooting (London) - Labour

5) Mohammed Yasin

Smaahni - Bhimber (AJK)

Bedford and Kempston - Labour

6) Ayoub Khan

Dadyaal - Mirpur (AJK)

Birmingham Perry Barr - Independent

7) Zarah Sultana

Thub - Dadyaal - Mirpur (AJK)

Coventry South - Independent

8) Imran Hussain 

Mawa - Akaalgarh - Mirpur (AJK) 

Bradford East - Labour

9) Naz Shah

Chakswari - Akaalgarh - Mirpur (AJK)

Bradford West - Labour

10) Yasmin Qureshi

Valley of Kashmir 

Bolton South and Walkden - Labour

11) Tahir Ali

Dadyaal - Mirpur (AJK)

Birmingham Hall Green and Moseley - Labour

..


Others? 

Dr Zubir Ahmed - Glasgow South West (Pakistani?) 

Labour

Naushabah Khan - Gillingham and Rainham 

Labour

Adnan Hussain - Blackburn

Independent


Have I missed anybody? 

Is it practical to widen this exercise to the House of Lords or should we concentrate on those who rely on the public vote for their privilege to legislate? 

Should this exercise be widened further to include councillors of JKA origin? 

JKA PUBLIC AGENCY Questionnaire: #EQEDT18072711000624102025

....

Here's an anecdotal (Urdu) note from Quayyum Raja, on the mindset of our people:

ہمارے سچے جذبوں کو کس نے داغدار کیا؟

گزشتہ کل میں ایک بیمار کی عیادت کے لیے گیا۔ وہاں سعودی عرب سے آئی ایک کاروباری شخصیت بیٹھی تھی۔ میں نے پوچھا کہ سعودی عرب نے قانون میں کچھ تبدیلیاں لائی ہیں جن کے مطابق اب کفیل کے بغیر بھی ہمارے لوگ کاروبار کر سکتے ہیں۔ اس قانون کا کہاں تک  آپکو فائدہ ہوا؟

 وہ کہنے لگے آپ بھی آئیں اور وہاں کاروبار کریں۔ میں نے کہا، میں اتنا پیسہ کہاں سے لائوں؟

 وہ فوری بولے "آپ کے پاس بہت پیسہ ہے۔" میں نے کہا وہ کیسے؟ کہنے لگے "آپکو تنظیم نہیں دیتی؟"

میں نے کہا آزادی کی تنظیمیں پیسے دیتی نہیں بلکہ لیتی ہیں اور خون بھی مانگتی ہیں۔ 

وہ کہنے لگے ہم نے سنا تھا کہ وہ پیسے دیتی ہیں۔ اس سے پہلے بھی کئی لوگ اس طرح کے ریمارکس دے چکے ہیں۔

جب میں بری ہو کر آیا تو کچھ لوگ مجھے ملنے آئے جن میں سے ایک نے کہا وہ کھوئی رٹہ میں مجاہدین کا سیکٹر کمانڈر ہوا کرتا تھا۔ میں نے پوچھا اب کیا ہوا؟  اس نے  مشرف کو برا بھلا کہتے ہوئے کہا اس نے جہاد بند کر دیا۔ 

میں نے کہا آپ میں اور ہم میں یہی تو فرق ہے۔ آپ پیسہ لے کر جہاد کرتے ہیں اور ہم اپنی مدد آپ جد و جہد کرتے ہیں۔

کچھ لوگ اگر سوچتے ہیں کہ ہمیں پیسہ ملتا ہے تو یہ انکی بھی غلطی نہیں۔ ہم نے قربانیوں سے اپنی تحریک کا آغاز کیا تھا لیکن پھر یہاں کاروباری لوگ ا گئے جنہوں نے تحریک کو کمرشلائز  کر کے ہمارے سچے جزبوں کو داغدار کیا ۔ انہی  کاروباری لوگوں کی وجہ سے آج تحریک پارہ پارہ ہوئی ہے۔

 اس دنیا میں بھی اور آخرت میں بھی انکا ضرور حساب ہو گا۔ 

قیوم راجہ

۔۔۔۔


Daily Diary (DD) - Day 305 of 2026

Day 150 it is and it should have been inevitable that this was going to be a long & decisive conflict (of intentions more than anything ...