Day 127 at Maqbool Bhat Shaheed Square - Dadyaal.
0801hrs |
My punctuality deficit has increased to 13 minutes. 38 seconds late today!
Punctuality percentage: 73 days on time or early of 127 = 57% punctual.
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Consistency does generate milestones and the 1st draft of the Citizen's Charter JKA should be considered as such:
We circulated it for feedback on the 11th, adding the following words:
Please read and review with all the brutal honesty possible. You could be doing the nation a favour.
Valued feedback:
1) Sagir Ahmed:
A comprehensive and detailed analysis of our situation. A theoretical and technical approach taken to understand the situation we are in. Does the common man understand?
My Response (MR henceforth and their initials for follow-ups):
Many thanks for that. Not via an English PDF but through contextual examples on the ground.
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2) Rizwan Shabir:
It’s meaty that’s for sure. I could probably go paragraph by paragraph and dissect it all but I need a solid few hours (for that).
I appreciate it’s the very first draft and there will be many edits before it’s finalised.
The first thing I would like to add to keep things moving at a steady pace is that we need to remove all the whys and fill them with answers.
It’s a charter so needs to be solid and explicitly express it’s purpose and points.
It needs to remain to the point and crystal clear in every respect. Once it’s finalised it needs to (be) translated into Urdu, turn it into a video with audio and subtitles of the script.
Once all how’s, why’s are replaced with clear concise answers and solutions then it’s going to be binding.
MR:
Thanks for all that. The questions are to provoke thinking, in order to understand. They can be transformed into answers no doubt. I have sent it to some legal experts too as well as political activists, academics and journalists...So, let's see how they respond....
Admittedly it is meaty, in an effort to compress many layers of complexity. Please feel free to comment and dissect further.
RS:
This stuff is way too advanced for majority of our people. The awareness campaign will have to summarise this and break it down in bits so people can understand. You can have a whole university course on this topic to be honest. Maybe that’s another option to explore. Provide funding for a course and then get maximum students on it.
At least people graduating from the course can then even join in a civil services capacity, they will also be more professional and polished off. These people would eventually take up senior positions after starting from the bottom. This will ensure our top tier understands the fundamentals and is unshakeable. During the degree/course we can emphasis and have a model which highlights the issues related with corruption and the downfall it causes. Principles and morals need to be built into people and then brought into governance and then the wider public can be trained/maintained. Without routing out corruption/falsehood and lies - especially in an administration position - will just bring the same results as it does in Pakistan and Kashmir for over 75 years.
MR:
Yes, I am in discussions with some experts to design a public policy course in the near future. Hopefully, soon after I finish my course.
There must be a form of attraction and incentives to motivate people in the present to build a path for the future. Many generations here have been tricked into planning for the future while not dealing with the present. It hasn't worked.
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3) Quayyum Raja:
This document of yours is the result of a well-committed extensive research. You have accurately stated that all the parties related to the Jammu Kashmir issue i.e. the occupiers, UN, USA and UK have failed to resolve this issue, simply because they have neglected the representation of the primary party such as the people of Jammu Kashmir. The leadership of Jammu Kashmir is mainly responsible itself for its own lack of representation. The well thought over idea of Public Agency should be embraced and promoted by the citizens of JKA with all their resources to promote their own narrative. No other narrative is going to resolve JKA issue but that of its own.
MR:
Many many thanks for your prompt and thoughtful response.
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4) A government servant (They have to remain anonymous while in service for obvious reasons, not least for being illegally bound in a mono narrative)
Refreshing approach indeed. A people centric coalition amongst ethnic and religious groups of erstwhile state of J&K will be haunted by skeletons in our cupboard. For example, Jammu massacre, Pandit exodus, tribal invasion etc.
There is an increasing amount of evidence suggesting Muslim majorities have failed to protect rights of non Muslim minorities around the globe which will hamper any consensus development.
MR:
We can change that record for the better here and create a working example. These sensitive issues cannot be avoided, they have to be confronted in the most humane way possible.
Many thanks. Even discussing these matters and logging people's thoughts in writing will create a positive vibe. I have learned this from activism on the ground to revive Mandirs and Gurdwaras here ref. Sharda & Alibeg in particular.
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5) Sardar Aftab
To be brutally honest, it is not inviting to read at first glance, unnecessarily loaded with references to many conflicting political and ideological positions and one would struggle to find the "charter".
MR:
Brutal honesty is what I welcome most of all and I thank you for that.
It is a first draft and has been sent to a number of people for a brutally honest review. I will not defend or qualify it at this stage but I would appreciate it if you can elaborate with an example - if possible - on what you consider to be 'conflicting political & ideological positions'?
SA:
MR:
Many thanks for sharing these examples. I had read a few before writing this 1st draft but peculiar - or rather unique - conditions require a unique approach. I hope I can make that clear in the next draft.
SA:
Yes, indeed, my only suggestion is to make it easy to read and understand for folks so they can relate their situation and aspirations, inspiring to take action and convey a vision of sovereignty of people and State for a peaceful, prosperous future for everyone.
MR:
Absolutely. Incorporated.
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6) Alia Khan
At first glance paragraphs are too long - we can cut down and create an appendix section.
MR:
Yes, this is a first draft and I've sent it to about 50 co-citizens for review. Please do whatever you think is necessary and taking account of other responses too, I'll refine it in due course.
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4 days later the charter was published on RAZ TV
RAZ TV |
I released the following note in response:
As explained hitherto, this is a 1st draft and has been sent to many of you for a review. Those of you who have not responded are requested to take a strictly critical look at the proposed charter and provide your feedback. If the actual stakeholders of this territory do not participate in designing a contract between each other and the world at large, then we'll have to continue living according to how other countries want us to live. That hasn't been a pretty experience for the past 75 years.
End..
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7) Qasim Kokhar:
The document is a very clear roadmap towards a logical solution of the problems Kashmiri people are facing.
I really appreciate the hard work and sincerity towards an amicable solution.
God bless you.
MR:
Many many thanks..
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On the 16th I sent out another circular:
As explained hitherto, this is a 1st draft and has been sent to many of you for a review. Those of you who have not responded are requested to take a strictly critical look at the proposed charter and provide your feedback. If the actual stakeholders of this territory do not participate in designing a contract between each other and the world at large, then we'll have to continue living according to how other countries want us to live. That hasn't been a pretty experience for the past 75 years.
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8) Shams Rehman:
I will certainly go through this when get some quality time as it needs very close and critical read.
MR:
Indeed. Many thanks.
SR:
It is a great effort with noble objectives but i think needs clarity as to 'whom it may concern' . I mean exactly who is this for and how it is aimed to be achieved? Individually or through some organisation? costings?
I have made some minor points in the document itself.
MR:
Great! Many thanks. I will have a look. It is a first draft of course and I hope to incorporate all reviews received before I publish second draft.
It has 2 dimensions. 1 for the world and the other for the people viz. co-citizens. It can be considered to be a formal contract. Subject to amendments in the future and hopefully the basis for a genuine people's referenced constitution.
Aims to be achieved through OBMs (Ownership Building Measures) carried out by AJK Public Agency and financed by the public as a whole. The first target is 100,000 citizens.
Nevertheless, I will read the edited document and comment further....
SR's intervention in 1st draft of Citizen's Charter JKA:
Page 1 (External/Rights)
Para 1: On what grounds (the above and below) claims are made? Personal research? Academic resources/reports, needs reference to.
Para 4: A*gain is this an observation based assumption or established through some survey or research?
Page 2 (Internal/Responsibilities)
Para 1: This should be at the beginning.
Para 3: Who should (do) this and why?
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9) Dr Iftikhar Mughal:
This research article is very comprehensive & clearly stand that State of Jammu Kashmir is, was an independent (country) & should be.
UNO (United Nations Organisation) have given us birth right of independence but regional countries are not willing for it.
MR:
Yes, I completely agree. Many thanks for your input. The people here do want independence but most of them are not willing to work for it.
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10) Mohsin Mumtaz:
The division of Jammu Kashmir state not only have resulted in killings of citizens of JK but this unjust division responsible for exploitation of resources of our state, poverty, starvation, lack of basic health and educational facilities too. United Nations and it's member states especially P5 pledged us that they will endeavour to hold free and fair plebiscite to gauge the opinion of people of JK state but failed so far.
Currently both India and Pakistan endeavouring to permanently divide our state by scraping State Subject Rule (Pakistan bifurcated it's controller parts of JK state into AJK and GB and abandoned state subject Rule in 1970s) whereas Modi lead fascist state of India Bifurcated Indian held JK into two union territories Ladakh and Jammu Kashmir and downgraded statehood of Indian held JK by amending article 370 and scraping 35A of Indian Constitution. 35A Guarantees the state subject Rule shall be upheld whereas 370 guarantees statehood of Indian held JK till the final solution of Jammu Kashmir state. Steps taken by both India and Pakistan are against their commitments made before UN and ultimately with aspirations of public of Jammu Kashmir.
Jammu Kashmir state existed as a secular state prior to 1947 and there none of any colonial riot erupted in the name of religion between the majority and minority communities of state. So claims of both occupiers are baseless that religion and we the citizens of the state want to leave together with peace as we lived before 1947 and want to upheld our peculiar identity in future too rather dumping resources rich state of twenty million into a sea of aggressive states of India and Pakistan where there is no rights of minorities and their masses still lack fundamental rights and basic facilities.
I totally endorse this citizen's charter of JKA without any prerequisite. Our public throughout the state wanted their own country where there will be no explanation, where fundamental rights of every state subject shall be honoured.
MR:
Many many thanks for your input.
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11) Professor M Sajid Yusuf:
‘Citizens Charter Jammu Kashmir & Allied (areas) JKA’ appears to be a promising documented milestone for the preservation of identity with respect to culture, geography, politics, economy, natural resources of all the inhabitants irrespective of creed, caste, belief or association. The Charter unearths comprehensive details relating to genuine and factual problems confronted by the inhabitants of the Princely state of JK entailing internal and external factors influencing and affecting its demography.
According to Allama Iqbal, (Narghas apni baynoori pe roti hai hazaron saal; barhi mushkil say hota hai chaman mein deedawar peda). Mr. Tanveer Ahmed is not only a born scholarly man whose selfless efforts are directed towards providing a roadmap for restructuring and rebuilding a system; sovereign, and democratic with a documented economic vision for the future but also outspoken and vocal brazenly bold and brave in his words and actions. At a loss for words!
Para 1) rightly highlights the issues inherited due to various themes leading to utter failures in addressing people’s grievances despite imposing their self-styled decisions other than what was stipulated in UNO.
Para 2) affirms that the division of the territory is repugnant to the UN resolution framework. From the historical perspective, sovereignty in the rule has always been influenced by an external change in governments resulting in neither democratic nor autocratic in its form.
I wish I could contribute more in writing but time constraint. By God willing, soon some suggestions in the review will be submitted. Thanks wishing you many triumphs.
MR:
Fantastic and well thought out. Many thanks.
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