Daily Diary (DD) - Day 171 of 2018

1449hrs:

I've been in Poonch (district) for a few days now and I don't find it difficult to maintain my contact with mother nature here.

In my 13 years here - in or around AJK - I've never had an opportunity or public interest imperative to ground myself in Rawalakot before. In fact the longest stretch of time hitherto spent here was either during fieldwork for the Public Opinion Survey Report - AJK or during the recent 'Justice for Naeem Butt Shaheed' campaign.

The ground here is as tricky as it is promising and that should become obvious, gradually as this blog cuts through the future as it unfolds before us.

There is some parallels between Rawalakot and Srinagar too, apart from being at about the same height above sea level: 5,374 feet to 5,200 feet respectively.

Now that 'Governor Rule' has been imposed in Indian-administered Kashmir once again. That counts as another first for me to witness, even if from across the LOC.