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Sunday 31 October 2021

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 304 of 2021

0003hrs:

So Day 303 of 2021 was not to be, despite ample opportunity. It was an eventful and memorable day though.........Day 16 of Bhimber to Muzaffarabad and climax of 'Watan Bachao March' (Save our Motherland/Country March) conducted thoughtfully, eventfully and peacefully in an organised manner by JKLF (R). 

Congratulations to the whole territory of AJK for proving that politics can evolve and change the direction of society. 


Then there was my presentation of the day:


There was much more before what I have posted so far and much more later too.....I did say the day of yesterday was eventful and memorable.

The letter to the UN Secretary General was also forwarded today, via submission at UNMOGIP headquarters in Muzaffarabad as well as via email to UN HQ in New York:

Page 1 of 3



Page 2 of 3

Page 3 of 3
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Friday 29 October 2021

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 302 of 2021

2304hrs:

We've reached the outskirts of AJK's capital Muzaffarabad. Earlier, we all felt that there was a likelihood of us being stopped at Kohalla and prevented from proceeding. Indeed, we were stopped but after negotiations between the Assistant Commissioner Mudassar Farooq and the chairman of JKLF (R) Sabir Kashmiri our entourage kept marching on:


........

Later in the evening, a local media outlet also received us at Dulai:


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Thursday 28 October 2021

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 301 of 2021

2149hrs:

Great determination vs. enormous stress!

Its not easy to keep one's nerves steady when you walk over 20 kilometres a day every day for almost 2 weeks and then struggle to find a suitable place to sleep. You pull through for the greater collective cause because everything you own is at stake!



.......

Wednesday 27 October 2021

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 300 of 2021

2310hrs:

Today was the toughest walk of this journey.....24 kilometres of constant incline/uphill from Arja to Dheerkot:


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Tuesday 26 October 2021

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 299 of 2021

2003hrs:

Inching closer to Muzaffarabad.....

The people of Paniola took great pains to attend to our every need:


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Monday 25 October 2021

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 298 of 2021

2052hrs:

Proceeding along quite smoothly......

......

In the aftermath of yesterday's contest between our neighbours, art had to intersect with sport and politics. Meanwhile, congratulations to Pakistan for showing a change of character on the field:


.......

The 'Watan Bachao March' (Save our Motherland/Country March) marches on from Rawalakot to Paniola today:

 

Earlier in the day, JKTV provided some extra coverage to this march by engaging their local correspondent Ajmal Shaheen at Kacheri Chowk while the JKLF were engaging the local public on the referendum:

 

.......

Meanwhile, another faction of the JKLF (Toqeer Group) continues its daily sit-in protest at Shaheed Chowk, in response to yet another faux pas by Pakistan's clandestine agencies, on Friday the 15th of this month. These agents had ordered the local administration/police to raid the house of a local member of this faction of the JKLF and seize what amounted to about 100,000 copies of their 'declaration of independence', announced at Palandri on the 4th of September. 

Pakistan's State employees are now in a real fix because if they return the literature, it will further weaken their presence in this territory and if they don't, the public will become increasingly agitated and expose them for what they have been paid to hide viz. Pakistan's real intentions in Jammu Kashmir & Allied (JKA).

While the Rauf Kashmiri group is into the 11th day of its march from Bhimber to Muzaffarabad, to prevent the permanent division of this territory between India and Pakistan, the Toqeer group is into its 10th day of a sit-in protest, to retrieve the literature it was intending to distribute throughout AJK, to alert the public on Pakistan's attempts to integrate the part of JKA it controls into its own federation, a la India and its 5th August 2019 move:


.......

Sunday 24 October 2021

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 297 of 2021

1024hrs:

I rejoined the 'Watan Bachao March' (Save our Motherland/Country March) at Dothaan yesterday and am now committed to remain with them till their final destination to AJK's capital Muzaffarabad.

This morning, I've written a formal request to the following 4 global entities to provide some coverage to this unprecedented political event. 

1) BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation)
2) DW (Deutsche Welle)
3) VoA (Voice of America)
4) Al Jazeera 

Here it is:

Hi and good morning...this is Tanveer Ahmed - an independent action-oriented public policy researcher working un-interrupted on the ground in AJK (Azad Jammu & Kashmir) or more commonly described by outside sources as Pakistani-administered Kashmir, since April 2005. 

The reason I am troubling you as a global media entity in this time restricted age is to notify you of a novel protest march taking place in AJK since the 15th of October 2021, in a bid to raise awareness amongst the public of this territory and collect their opinion on the looming spectre of permanent division of the territory of Jammu Kashmir & Allied areas (JKA) between India and Pakistan, without taking account of the will of the people in this territory.

On average, about 25 political activists from the Rauf Kashmiri faction of the JKLF (Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front) began walking from Bhimber (the southernmost district capital of AJK) towards Muzaffarabad (capital of AJK) in the north, which amounts to about 300 kilometres in total. Today (Sunday October the 24th) they are into their 10th day of continous walking and have reached the outskirts of Rawalakot (district capital of Poonch) at Kaigalla. 

Enroute they camped at: 

Kharri Sharif (Day 1) 
Mirpur (Day 2)
Chakswari (Day 3)
Dadyaal (Day 4)
Naar (Day 5)
Kotli (Day 6)
Tattapani (Day 7)
Hajeera (Day 8) 
Kaigalla (Day 9)

At each camp, they were welcomed by local representatives of various other political parties (including other factions of the JKLF) who hosted them while taking responsibility for their food and shelter. 

Apart from interacting with the public enroute, they are conducting public speeches wherever they stay with varying audiences (including press clubs at some places) and conducting what they describe as a referendum, whereby they set up a stall at each city/town where they had camped the previous night and put 3 questions to the public:

1) As a state citizen of Jammu Kashmir do you accept the imposed intention of India and Pakistan to negotiate with each other (supposedly on our behalf) and make the ceasefire line/line of control into a permanent border?

a) Yes b) No c) Certainly not

2) While acknowledging the citizens of Jammu Kashmir to be humans do you accept their right to decide their future in a free and fair manner according to the charter of the United Nations?

a) Yes b) No

3) Until the emergence of a permanent solution to the Jammu Kashmir conflict do you agree with the proposal to set up an embassy/consulate of the State of Jammu Kashmir in Islamabad (Pakistan) by a representative revolutionary government comprising of both AJK and GB?

a) Yes b) No

The name, place of residence and ID card number of each member of the public (who must be a citizen of Jammu Kashmir) is taken to add clarity to the questionnaire.
n.b. in developed countries obviously public opinion is collected anonymously and without being suggestive but here - in a conflict zone there is little room for ambiguity and thus the conditions here necessitate the collection of opinion in this manner.

The pamphlet outlining the reasoning behind their activity and the associated questionnaire are also attached here for your perusal.

Thus far, opinion has been collected from over 15,000 respondents and the target sample is at least 1 million (note that the 'referendum' activity began before the general elections in AJK in July 2019 and will continue beyond this particular political activity). It should be added that the overwhelming majority of people have given responses that are pro Jammu Kashmir state and this includes people who participate in general elections under the banner of Pakistani political parties.

It should also be noted that despite there being a multitude of political parties in AJK that espouse Kashmiri nationalism (viz. No India and No Pakistan) and despite following different political personalities and adopting differing political strategies; most have welcomed, embraced and hosted this faction of the JKLF in some shape or form.

What we humbly request you as a global media entity is to provide some form of coverage to this milestone political event in AJK, which has no precedent in this region. We remember your channel covering the various political events in this territory that took place in reaction to India's (supposedly unilateral) move to bifurcate and downgrade its administered part of Jammu & Kashmir on August the 5th 2019. For example, coverage was given to:

1) JKLF (Sagheer faction) that conducted a sit-in protest at Tithrinote (on the LOC in Poonch) between the 7th and 11th of September 2019.

2) JKLF (Amanullah faction) that marched from Muzaffarabad to Jaskol near Chakothi (on the LOC in Jhelum Valley) and then conducted a sit-in protest between the 4th and 16th of October 2019.

3) PNA (People's National Alliance comprising of 24 nationalist political parties) that converged on Upper Adda Muzaffarabad on the 21st of October and were prevented from marching to the AJK Assembly on the 22nd of October 2019.

Please do not hesitate to contact me for further questions or queries. I have been accompanying this 'Watan Bachao March' (Save our Motherland/Country March) intermittently from Bhimber to Kotli and rejoined them yesterday before they entered Kaigalla. I will remain with them till their destination in Muzaffarabad.

You can see brief notes and video footage of this march in daily diary format at: 

You can also read their (JKLF R's) own report at Kotli on the 21st of October 2021 at the following link:


End....

Pamphlet:

Front


Back


Questionnaire (Public Referendum)


......

It was a bitterly cold day combined with aggressive bouts of rain but we kept marching on:


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Saturday 23 October 2021

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 296 of 2021

2035hrs:

Some family commitments prevented me from departing yesterday. I managed to rejoin the 'Watan Bachao March' (Save our Motherland/Country March) at Dothaan, a few kilometres short of Kaigalla where we received a rousing welcome:


......

Later in the evening, I was invited to a discussion on JKTV involving the 'Let Kashmir Decide' emerging global coalition which had seasoned activists from the UK, USA, Canada and Australia participating in it. Despite the massive difference in time zones they were all able to connect while I. despite participating in the programme couldn't really take active part due to my inferior internet connection. It is telling that an activist who took part from Islamabad had a clear connection while I, on the outskirts of Rawalakot in AJK didn't. This is symptomatic of the one-sided relationship between AJK and Pakistan:


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Friday 22 October 2021

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 295 of 2021

1350hrs:

Preparing to move on and rejoin the walking brigade of JKLF's Rauf Kashmiri group which should now be walking somewhere between Tattapani and Hajeera. My recuperation is now complete and I hope to remain with the 'Watan Bachao March' (Save our Motherland/Country March) until it reaches its destination in AJK's capital Muzaffarabad.

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Thursday 21 October 2021

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 294 of 2021

2354hrs:

Leaving it very late today. Yesterday's long walk between Naar and Kotli required recuperation.

....

I am hereby posting a report by JKLF - R (Rauf Kashmiri's faction) on their activity in Kotli:


کوٹلی ( ) جے کے ایل ایف کی طرف بھمبر سے شروع کردہ وطن بچاؤ مارچ کے کوٹلی پہنچنے پر تقسیم جموں کشمیر نامنظور ریلی کا انعقاد کوٹلی کی فضا جیوے کاشر میری جان جموں گلگت بلتستان اور آزادی کی نعروں سے گونج اٹھی ریلی سے جے کے ایل ایف کے سپریم ہیڈ سردار رؤف کشمیری چیرمین سردار صابر کشمیری سیاسی شعبہ کے سربراہ ناصر سرور کشمیر اسٹوڈنٹس لبریشن فرنٹ کے چیرمین شاہ زیب اختر سابق چیرمین خان الیاس جے کے ایل ایف کے رہنما محمد شاہد ملک اسلم اور دیگر نے کہا کہ مہذب دنیا اطلاعات تک رسائی کا حق استعمال کر رہی ہے جبکہ ریاست جموں کشمیر کے دو کروڑ شہری بنیادی انسانی حقوق سے محروم رکھا جا رہا  ریاستی شہریوں کے حق آزادی کے بجائے قابض ممالک کی پشت پناہی اقوام عالم کا دوہرا معیار اور انسان دشمن پالیسی کا مظہر ہے لیکن جے کے ایل ایف واضح کرتا ہے کہ ہم جبر کی بنیاد پر مسلط کیے گئے کسی حل کو تسلیم نہیں کریں گے اور حالات جتنے بھی ناز ساز گار ہوں دو کروڑ کشمیریوں کے حق آزادی کے لیے جدوجہد کرتے رہیں گے اقوام عالم کو سمجھنا چاہیے کہ مسلہ کشمیر کا وہی حل قابل عمل اور دیرپا ہو گا جس میں کشمیریوں کی مرضی و منشا شامل ہو گی محض ہندوستان کو خطے میں رول دینے کے لئے پاکستان حکمرانوں کی مدد سے جموں کشمیر کے عوام کے  حق آزادی پر ڈاکہ ڈالنے اور جبری تقسیم سے مسائل میں مزید اضافہ ہو گا مذہبی بنیادوں پر برصیغر کی تقسیم نے خطے کی زمین کو وہاں کے معصوم انسان کے خون سے رنگین کر دیا تھا سات دہائیوں کے بعد نئی تقسیم مسلط کر کے نفرتوں کے نئے بیج بونے کے بجائے اقوام متحدہ کے چارٹر کے تحت ریاست جموں کشمیر میں ریفرنڈم  کروا جاہے تاکہ خطہ مزید کسی آزمایش سے بچ سکے مقررین پاکستانی سول سوسائٹی سے مطالبہ کہ وہ اپنی حکومت اور اداروں پر دباؤ ڈالیں کہ وہ انڈین ایجنڈے پر چلتے ہوے  کشمیریوں کے حق آزادی پر ڈاکہ ڈالنے کے بجائے آزاد کشمیر اور گلگت بلتستان پر مشتمل نماہندہ انقلابی حکومت کا اسلام آباد میں سفارتخانہ قاہم کرے اس موقع بھارتی مقبوضہ جموں کشمیر میں بنیادی انسانی کی خلاف ورزیوں ابادی میں ڈیموگرافک تبدیلی کے منصوبے کی پرزور الفاظ میں مذمت کرتے ہوے گلگت بلتستان سمیت ریاست جموں کشمیر کی تمام اکاہیوں میں اسٹیٹ سیںجکیٹ رول کی بحالی کا مطالبہ کیا اور عوام سے اپیل کی گئی کہ باہمی اتحاد سے ریاست جموں کشمیر کا وجود اور شناخت مٹانے کی سازشوں کو ناکام بنانے کے لیے اپنا 
بھرپور کردار ادا کرے

I then translated the above Urdu report into English as follows:

Kotli - 21 October 2021

JKLF - R (Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front - Rauf Kashmiri Group) began their 'Watan Bachao March' (Save our Motherland/Country March) on the 15th of October at Bhimber (in the capital of the southernmost district of AJK - commonly described as Pakistani administered Kashmir by outside sources). On the 6th day it reached the district capital of Kotli where a rally was initiated proclaiming that the division of Jammu Kashmir was unnaceptable. The environment around Kotli city began echoing with various pro-freedom slogans including, "Jeevay Kashar meri jaan, Jammu, Gilgit Baltistan" (Long live my beloved Kashmir, Jammu, Gilgit Baltistan). 

Leading the rally was supreme head of his faction of the JKLF Sardar Rauf Kashmiri accompanied by chairman Sabir Kashmiri, head of their political wing Nasir Sarwar, chairman of their students wing (KSLF - Kashmir Students Liberation Front) Shazaib Akhter and former chairman Khan Ilyas. Further representatives of JKLF Muhammad Shahid, Malik Aslam and others noted that the civilised world has advanced to the stage of exercising the right to information while the 20 million citizens of the State of Jammu Kashmir are deprived of basic fundamental rights. 

The nations of the world have (in general) supported the occupying countries of this State or at least have turned a blind eye (viz. India, Pakistan and China) rather than support the right to freedom of the citizens here. We believe this is evidence of double standards and a policy of human enmity. However, JKLF wishes to make it clear that under no circumstances will it accept the imposition of any solution by force.

No matter how unfavourable the circumstances may become, we will continue to struggle for the right to freedom of 20 million Kashmiris. The nations of the world and global civil society should understand that the only solution that will prove to be practical and sustainable will be that which includes the will of the people here. 

The public of Jammu Kashmir's right to freedom has been compromised with the assistance of Pakistan's rulers merely to cement India's role in this region. This enforced division will exacerbate the human dilemma here. The division of South Asia on the basis of religious identity in 1947 had led to mass bloodshed of the innocent people there.

By imposing a new division after seven decades would be akin to planting fresh seeds of hate. Instead, we propose that a referendum be conducted in Jammu Kashmir based on the United Nations Charter so that this region avoids further tests of its endurance.

The speakers at this political rally demanded from Pakistani civil society that they put pressure on their government and institutions that instead of towing an Indian agenda by depriving Kashmiris of their right to freedom; they should support the right of a representative revolutionary government comprising of Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit Baltistan (GB) to establish an embassy/consulate in Pakistan's capital Islamabad. 

On this occasion, speakers at the rally also condemned in the strongest terms possible the human rights violations occurring in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) and expressed their concern over the policy of rapid demographic change taking place there. They also demanded that the State Subject Rule (SSR) be restored (to protect local demography) in all parts of Jammu Kashmir including Gilgit Baltistan. They appealed to the public at large to generate mutual cooperation between each other and play a significant role to repel the conspiracies that intend to wipe out the existence and identity of the State of Jammu Kashmir. 

End...

Here is some video footage of their activity today:


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Wednesday 20 October 2021

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 293 of 2021

2327hrs:

JIT = Just In Time......an acronym first used to describe Japanese production line creativity in the 1980s I think. From time to time it applies in the context of me logging an entry on this weblog too.

I have been incessantly engaged in public activity since my last entry yesterday. I will try and describe it in due course. Maybe not so much in terms of words but certainly in the form of a series of videos uploaded to JKTV.

Bear with me....

The first video footage was produced in Naar in the morning and includes interaction with the public on the public referendum:


The next footage involves scenes enroute and on arrival in Kotli:


Before arriving in Kotli, we were welcomed on the outskirts of the city by a prominent local journalist Kashif Shabir, who generated the following footage:


I'll end today's blog proceedings with footage of the welcome in Kotli:


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Tuesday 19 October 2021

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 292 of 2021

1622hrs:

Yet more travelling. On public transport too. However, my destination on this occasion is only 20 or so kilometres away. 

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Monday 18 October 2021

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 291 of 2021

1658hrs:

Have spent some time at home today - in between travelling to various events in the region from Bhimber to Kotli - to try and update the public on activity generated over the past few days. Indeed, there have been literally thousands of events and issues that I have covered or participated in, over the last decade or so which despite being logged comprehensively have yet to be published online. 

I am trying to change that. 

.....

I wasn't able to accompany the 'Watan Bachao March' of JKLF - R on their journey from Chakswari to Dadyaal on account of family commitments, including taking my mother to the family home of Rasheed Khan s/o Sheikh Abdul Aziz; who had settled in Canada some years ago but tragically succumbed to cancer at a relatively young age. His body arrived today and many people from Kotli and afar descended to his funeral. He was a very talented citizen who had a good grasp of our 'National Question and will be sorely missed.

Meanwhile, I can provide video footage of the walking brigade's rousing welcome in Dadyaal courtesy JKTV:


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Sunday 17 October 2021

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 290 of 2021

2232hrs:

Have travelled quite a bit since my last blog entry yesterday morning. From Dadyaal to Mirpur, then from Mirpur just beyond Ban Khurma on public transport. There I joined the foot brigade of JKLF (Rauf Kashmiri Group) which had entered its second day of marching from Bhimber to Muzaffarabad; to generate awareness amongst the public of AJK about Pakistani attempts to emulate India; in permanently integrating the area of Jammu & Kashmir that it controls into its own federation:

Yesterday's travelling was followed by another trip on public transport from Mirpur to Kotli. It isn't easy carrying luggage and sitting in a vehicle squashed between others for 3 hours.

Just before arriving in Kotli, I learned that the function that I was about to attend has been cancelled. It was an all too familiar story: Someone from abroad comes to engage and learn about the Kashmir dilemma from the horse's mouth so to speak viz. from the public on the ground. The clandestine agencies of Pakistan who operate here primarily to protect their own country's narrative as an occupying force become active and target the hosts of the foreign guest/s. The agencies spin a frightful yarn about security issues and urge the hosts to take their guest/s back to Islamabad where the Pakistani narrative on Jammu & Kashmir faces much less competition.  
 
On this occasion, it was Claire Bidwell; a political activist from Scotland who has worked very diligently and energetically in the last couple of years to 'Let Kashmir Decide' its own present and future. She was hoping to launch the next phase of her movement by announcing a global coalition in solidarity with the people of this territory today - at 2pm - at the following venue:


I did try and convince our guest to not get swayed by these oft-repeated shenanigans by Pakistan's clandestine agencies but I do understand that she she was concerned about her hosts facing possible repercussions, if they ignored the demands of these agencies to ensure that she not meet or mingle with the local people here.  

I will upload a couple of videos (1 each in English and Urdu) that I took at the venue: Chai Khana (or Chai Kada to be more precise). I haven't published them yet, at the request of colleagues in the UK who are monitoring the situation and urge that any material should be published once Claire Bidwell is back in the UK.

From one agency shenanigan to the next: A major faction of the JKLF led by Toqeer Gilani had their literature seized on Friday. This was done via a raid on a local activist's home whereby the local police and administration were apparently informed by Pakistan's clandestine agencies that this property had dangerous material (including bomb making equipment etc.). 

What they - the local police - found were a few activists of JKLF stapling together pamphlets related to their 'Declaration of Independence' at Palandri on September the 4th. The local police also seized the activist's phones and despite lengthy discussions with the local administration on Friday and Saturday, the literature and communications equipment has not been returned. The local administration agree that the material is not objectionable and they also want to return it but.........they feel helpless against Pakistan's clandestine agencies, who are of course accountable to nobody. The most they can do is 'pass the buck' between various individuals in the local administration (from SHO to AC to SP etc.), which only infuriates the public even further. 

This gave me an opportunity to provide some coverage to their sit-in protest at Shaheed Chowk Kotli, which is into its 3rd day:


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Saturday 16 October 2021

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 289 of 2021

1029hrs:

A lot of activity happening in various parts of AJK. A real contest is emerging between Pakistani State interest and Jammu & Kashmir State interest. I've always maintained that Pakistani interference and obstruction in Jammu & Kashmir is the direct opposite of what it claims viz. that it supports the self determination of this territory - unlike India it says who claims ownership - thus, the Pakistanis claim that it is pro-freedom whereas India isn't. 

While it is true that India is anti freedom as far as Jammu & Kashmir is concerned, so is Pakistan. 

The only difference is that India is blunt on the subject while Pakistan prefers to hide behind soft, subtle and sweet vocabulary to control and occupy the portion it holds. The Pakistanis also get offended when they are compared to India; despite being partners in a British designed parallel occupation structure, which operates just like 2 sides of a railway track.

This chicanery is poison for the pro freedom struggle in this territory. A positive development is that not just secular minded people in AJK understand this strategy but so do an increasing number of ultra religious minded people here too.

......

I managed to join Rauf Kashmiri's faction of the JKLF just before it entered Ban Khurma (on the Southern outskirts of Mirpur city and also home to Mirpur Central Jail where I spent almost 10 months in captivity in the past year):

 

Once we arrived in Mirpur at Chowk Shaheedan, I accompanied one of the colleagues of this march to conduct a 'referendum' amongst the general public:


......

Friday 15 October 2021

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 288 of 2021

1328hrs:

Logging a bit earlier than normal as I'm trying to learn from previous travel experiences. That is, before embarking on my next journey it seems prudent to log an entry beforehand too.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's clandestine agencies have played a major hand today in Kotli to prevent the internal narrative of AJK from blossoming:


.... 

Thursday 14 October 2021

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 287 of 2021

1851hrs:

Another set of hectic days ahead......respite at home for documentation is few and far between at the moment. 

.....

The following unnecessary tragedy that took place today has often been repeated over the past 7 decades and is a direct outcome of the unnecessary presence of Indian and Pakistani troops in this territory. Both claim to protect the inhabitants from the other but both usually succeed in killing or maiming these very inhabitants while continuing to secure their relative control over this territory, for its water resources and geographical location:


Today, 17 year old matriculation student Danyal s/o Malik Khurshid was cutting some firewood in the porch of his home about 20 or so metres away from the LOC at Tithrinote (Tehsil Hajeera), when he become yet another victim of the indiscriminate land mines laid out by the Pakistani army. The blast blew off major parts of his right leg as can be witnessed in the following photo:


A multitude of previous cases (of indiscriminate land mines planted) along various parts of the LOC from district Bhimber in the South to district Neelam in the North have taken various limbs of our citizens away from them while they were carrying out normal day to day activities, usually falling victim on their own personal land. In Danyal's case, a specific question arises as to how did this land mine come to be within the grounds of a local residence? Is the Pakistani army unaware, inattentive or simply careless on these matters which destroy the lives of locals?  

While compiling this report we also inquired from local sources whether or not the Pakistani army approached the family of the injured citizen; if not to explain what that land mine was doing in a local residence then at least to condole Danyal and his family. The response was in the negative.

Here's an Urdu statement on the incident by a local resident:

ظلم، جبر اور تکلیف کا ایک اور کیس، پاکستان اور بھارت کی جانب سے مادر وطن ریاست جموں کشمیر کو تقسیم کرنے والی خونی لکیر نے ایک اور 17 سالہ نوجوان کے مستقبل کو تاریک کر دیا،

محنت کش خاندان سے تعلق رکھنے والے ملک خورشید کا 17 سالہ میٹرک کا طالب علم دانیال گھر کے صحن میں لگے مائین کا شکار ہو گیا جس کے پھٹنے سے نوجوان کی ٹانگ ضائع ہو گئی، اس سے پہلے کئی حادثات میں کشمیریوں کی آنکھ، ٹانگ، ہاتھ اور جسم کے دوسرے اعضاء ضائع ہو چکے ہیں، بھارت اور پاکستان کا ریاست دشمن اور انسان دشمن کھیل جاری ہے، آئے روز ہمارے لوگوں کو ایک سازش کے تحت قتل عام کیا جا رہا ہے، سوال یہ ہے کہ گھر کہ صحن میں مائین کیسے ا سکتا ہے؟ اگر آیا تو یہ افواج وہاں کےا چھولے بیچ رہی ہیں؟  دونوں ملک اپنے جنگی جنون اپنی اپنی سرحدات میں دکھائیں اور ہمارے وطن سے نکل جائیں یہی ہمارا مطالبہ ہے اور یہی ہماری جنگ ہے، جب تک یہ ناسور ہمارے دھرتی پہ موجود ہیں،ہمارے لوگ یہ جبر برداشت کرتے رہیں گئے، اس دکھ اور تکلیف کو اپنا ہتھیار بناتے ہوئے ہمیں اب اس غلامی سے بدتر زندگی سے چھٹکارے کیلئے حتمی جنگ کا اعلان کرنا ہو گا، وگرنہ ان دونوں ملکوں کے لالچی اور بدعنوان جرنیل اور سیاستدان ہماری نسلوں کو نگل جائیں گئے،
سردار محسن
پونچھ جموں کشمیر

(Update: October the 19th)

The following video interview in reference to the above incident was conducted at the scene by Zulfiqar Malik of Madaarpur for JKTV:


.......

In our bid to ensure that all angles are covered in our pursuit for justice, here is a letter written by Dr. Nazir Gilani of JKCHR (Jammu and Kashmir Council for Human Rights) to the Lt. Governor of Indian-controlled Jammu & Kashmir Shri Manoj Sinha:


.......

Wednesday 13 October 2021

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 286 of 2021

1915hrs:

A relatively relaxing day at home in Sehnsa before hearing that a relative had died. Proceeded for the deceased's funeral at 1400hrs, witnessed his burial soon after 1500hrs and just returned home.

As a community we have many ills to introspect over but the tradition of attending weddings and funerals is still being adhered to by most of the community, irrespective of prior schedules and engagements. Long may this tradition last.

.... 

The following video was made yesterday to acknowledge and appreciate the energy and creativity introduced by Claire Bidwell in raising her voice for the human rights crisis and obstruction of the internal narrative in Jammu Kashmir & Allied areas:


Tuesday 12 October 2021

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 285 of 2021

2021hrs:

The year and the hour!

Much food for thought on most recent (fourth) whirlwind tour of AJK, including a night on the LOC in Smaahni.

...

The night was followed by a stroll to the more sensitive parts of the LOC, not before washing my face, head and hair at the following waterfall:


The video above tried to explain the importance of debriefing our nation (of the binary hate viz. Hindu-Muslim instilled in our hearts and installed in our brains for the past 4 generations) before we can surge ahead to develop the most advanced governance system in the world). The next video tackles the subject of flags and sovereignty:


This was followed by the third of three main video clips made today, which shifted us closer to the 'khooni lakeer' (bloody line) unnecessarily and unnaturally dividing us. Here, we discussed the concepts of 'Public Agency' and 'Public Assembly' with Indian and Pakistani military posts on the LOC in the background: 


....

These were followed by a series of short clips from different angles:








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Sunday 10 October 2021

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 283 of 2021

0830hrs:

Returned South from Muzaffarabad to Sehnsa at c. 0200hrs this morning. Now, I'm proceeding further South for another function that I've been invited to.

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Saturday 9 October 2021

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 282 of 2021

0200hrs:

Not syncing in a normal 24 hour clock as I travelled 180 kilometres and over 8 hours yesterday (Day 281 of 2021 - a Friday and also the 1st of Rabi ul Awal in the Islamic calendar), driving from South to North on the Western most ridges of the Himalayas. Otherwise Dadyaal to Muzaffarabad up river (Jhelum) in AJK.

Yesterday was also the 16th anniversary of the 8th October earthquake of 2005. 

We remember those victims and that time. 

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Tuesday 5 October 2021

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 278 of 2021

2019hrs:

Encountered net access problems last night and thus could not register an entry for 277 of 2021. 

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Sunday 3 October 2021

Saturday 2 October 2021

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 275 of 2021

2207hrs:

The following letter to the Lord Chief Justice of England & Wales was written from jail in March, earlier this year. It didn't receive a response via email to date and thus has been re-sent via registered post a few days ago:

(For those of you having difficulty in reading the text below can click the hyperlink in the first line above)



Emails were sent on the 5th and the 12th of April 2021 (I had written the letter on the 31st of March 2021 in jail):


The following email response - redirecting us elsewhere - was returned on the 26th of May 2021:


We then sent out the letter via registered post on the 24th of September 2021:


We haven't received a response to date....

........


Daily Diary (DD) - Day 78 of 2024

0450hrs: I've been working continuously since waking up at 1400hrs yesterday. Yes, I will go to sleep at some point and will also notify...