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Thursday 8 November 2018

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 312 of 2018

0100hrs:

As improvisation and constant public feedback are a big part of what we're doing in AJK, it was obvious that we would edit and re-vamp the AJK Citizen's ID Card as we passed from one phase to the next. A lot of demand has erupted for it from co-citizens, to the extent that we almost have one citizen working full time on making digital copies for them.

It is still a digital concept and we have much more to do before it can be launched for practical use in the public domain.

Here it is as it stands today:

Front
Back
1236hrs:



Transmission lines for the Neelam-Jhelum Hydro Project which are taking 969 MW of electricity directly from where it is produced in AJK to Pakistan, are not just creating environmental destruction in the Muzaffarabad region but also exposing this area - Tain in Poonch division - to electric currents. Despite numerous attempts to make the AJK government and Pakistan's WAPDA (Water and Power Development Authority) address this issue over the past couple of months, nothing has been done thus far. Notice how the locals are using an electric current tester to explain how their health is being directly affected. These currents are affecting all living beings and when it rains, the locals are further exposed to something which they have no stake in whatsoever.

AJK is paying in every way for Pakistan's belated development needs and furthermore, the Pakistanis firmly believe that they don't even need to consent the AJK government (or its people) on what they are extracting from this territory.

Meanwhile, I've decided to cut back on analysing fresh news from AJK - for the meantime till I complete the extended version of the Citizen Public Opinion Survey - as everything requires time which otherwise needs to be devoted to work already completed yet not organised (streamlined). However, the video above is yet another pointed example of Pakistan's near absent governing structure in the region. 

FIFA, AJK and the World Cup in Qatar 2022:

The following is the third round of an attempt to enter the comity of nations who compete to play in the most popular sporting event in the world every 4 years.

From the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) in July and September, in November we are trying to contact FIFA directly to assist us in our quest, however outlandish it may seem at this stage. There are interesting precedents to examine. For example, Palestine, Taiwan, Macau, Hong Kong, China and Guam all compete separately for a qualifying slot in Asia. Indeed, in Europe the United Kingdom has separate competitors in the shape of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

So, operating as a distinct de facto sovereign nation state is not a precondition to enter the qualifying stages of the FIFA world cup. 

Yes, we have a very rusty network, live in a conflict zone and lack institutional evolution in sport (and governance in general) but we have a rich base of potential talent - at home as well as a pool of talent and resources in the diaspora. Being positive and persistent in our approach could help us leapfrog our way ahead of many other footballing nations.

For example, the UK is not only the inventor of the modern version of football but also accomodates our largest diaspora, where at least two generations of ours are heavily involved in the sport or take fanatical interest in it.

Coming back to the procedure, many attempts were made to send the following letter to FIFA via email but it just didn't process, that is that FIFA's inbox would not accept the email. Subsequently, further attempts were made to contact any of their subsidiary organisations in Zurich:

...Beginning of email communication with IFAB - The International Football Association Board in Zurich):

Procedure for applying for FIFA membership ref. AJK

Tanveer Ahmed
8 Nov 2018, 14:42
to info@theifab.com

Dear IFAB,

This may not be the appropriate forum to resolve this issue but as we can't send a query to FIFA.com's webpage despite numerous attempts and earlier couldn't contact AFC either, we are sending this letter to you hoping that you can guide us appropriately.

Letter:

The following letter was initially sent via email during the final of the FIFA 2018 Word Cup on Sunday the 15th of July to AFC: However, since I haven't received a response from them and cannot get through to speaking to the appropriate person, I am now sending this letter directly to FIFA:

Fax: 00 603 8994 2689
To:
The Asian Football Confederation
AFC House
Jalan 1/155B, Bukit Jalil
57000 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia

Procedure for applying for FIFA membership ref. AJK

Tanveer Ahmed
Sun 15 Jul, 20:48

to media@the-afc.com


Dear AFC,

We are not sure whether this is the appropriate forum to make a formal application for FIFA (and by extension AFC) membership, with a view to participating in the qualifying campaign for the next world cup in Qatar 2022 (from Asia).

Our 'country' is officially described as Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK is an acronym) and it translates as the free part of Jammu and Kashmir, which is intermittently but fiercely contested between India and Pakistan.

Our territory boasts having its own prime minister, president, supreme court and constitution with a clearly defined territory including an over 1 million strong diaspora in the developed world.

We are a keen footballing nation and are confident of qualifying from Asia.

We would be grateful if the AFC can guide us on how and what are the appropriate steps that we need to take.

In earnest

Tanveer Ahmed

Founder: AJK Public Agency

ajkpublicagency.org

Contact: 0092 3455044252

Further Note:

In reference to the above email, a phone conversation was attempted on the 7th of September to the following phone number 00 603 8994 2689, as no response was received via email. I was put through to a lady whose name I was informed to be Ms Elia. However, despite a couple of attempts I could not get through to her either.

Now that I haven’t received a response via email or the phone, I am attempting to contact AFC via fax. If I don’t receive a response via this method either, then I will contact FIFA directly.

End.....

From: Tanveer Ahmed
Date: Thursday, 8 November 2018 at 10:42
To: "info@theifab.com"
Subject: Procedure for applying for FIFA membership ref. AJK

info@theifab.com
8 Nov 2018, 14:43
to me

we cannot help you with this

Boudien Broekhuis
Communications & Administration Manager
The International Football Association Board - IFAB
www.theifab.com
Münstergasse 9
CH-8001 Zurich 

Tanveer Ahmed
8 Nov 2018, 14:56
to info@theifab.com

Thank you for your prompt response. Could you please guide us to the right forum, if possible?

info@theifab.com
8 Nov 2018, 15:06
to me

no sorry, we do not have that informatio

Boudien Broekhuis
Communications & Administration Manager
The International Football Association Board - IFAB
www.theifab.com
Münstergasse 9
CH-8001 Zurich 

Tanveer Ahmed
8 Nov 2018, 19:32
to info@theifab.com

Thank you for your prompt response once again.

End of email communication with IFAB - The International Football Association Board in Zurich)........

We remain clinging to thin air. It is almost certain that we need a citizen of AJK on the ground in Zurich, to conscientiously take our case forward.

......

Today has seen the latest communication with the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, in reference to the following question which I haven't been able to receive a response on:

Tanveer Ahmed 22 July 2018 Delivered

Dear Foreign and Commonwealth Office,

Many thanks for your prompt response once again.

Let's refine the request further to 2 years between 1945 and 1947 and seek all correspondence related to the future dispensation of the State (of J & K) between British India and the Maharajah (or his representatives).

I hope the above meets the criteria you have outlined.

Apologies for the delay in responding, on my part.

Yours faithfully,


Tanveer Ahmed

....

Their final response was as follows:

Foreign & Commonwealth Office
Knowledge Management Dept 
Hanslope Park 
Hanslope 
Milton Keynes MK19 7BH 
  
Mr Tanveer Ahmed  
  
By email to: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx 
  
16 October 2018  
  
Dear Mr Ahmed, 

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 REQUEST – REF: 0871-18 

We are writing with the reply to your FOI request of 2 May. We apologise for the delay in 
replying. You asked for: 

“records of all communication/correspondence (official and non-official) between the Princely State of Jammu & Kashmir and the British Empire (beginning from the 1820's co-inciding with Ranjeet Singh's rule over the territory in question) until 1947 (and beyond if it exists).” 

Our email of 3 May explained that as currently drafted your request was too broad and we would be unable to proceed with it. We suggested that you initially consult the India Office records at the British Library and The National Archives for your research. If you wished to proceed with an FOI request we asked that you refine your request to a shorter timeframe and a specific topic/subject area. 
  
Following an exchange of correspondence you confirmed in your email of 22 July that your request be refined to the years of 1945 to 1947 for “all correspondence related to the future dispensation of the State (of J & K) between British India and the Maharajah (or his representatives).” 

We said in our letters of 20 August and 18 September that we had identified information held by the FCO that we considered to be relevant to your request. After further consideration we find that this material is actually out of scope because it is correspondence dated in the period after the independence of India in 1947 rather than during the period of British India as stated in your request. We apologise for the oversight in this case. If you wished to make a new FOI request to seek access to the post-independence material we would be content to review the material for possible release.  

If you would like a review of our decision, or if you wish to make a complaint, please write to the Central FOI Unit, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Room WH2.177, King Charles Street, London, SW1A 2AH.  
E-mail: xxxxxxx.xxxx@xxx.xxx.xx.  

You have 40 working days to do so from the date of this letter. 

You can apply directly to the Information Commissioner. However, the Information Commissioner will not normally make a decision unless you have first exhausted the complaints procedure provided by the FCO. The Information Commissioner can be 
contacted at: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, 
Cheshire SK9 5AF. 
  
Yours sincerely, 
  
Historical FOI Team 
Knowledge Management Department     

.....

I responded thus on today's date:

Record of official (and non-official) correspondence between the Dogra Dynasty (Princely State of Jammu & Kashmir) and the British Empire

Dear Historical FOI (Sensitive),

I would like to clarify if your latest response should be interpreted as saying that you don't hold any information within the scope of my request from 1945 to 1947?

Yours sincerely,

Tanveer Ahmed

....    

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