0959hrs:
Day 25 at Martyr's Square Kotli
Early hours of Sunday 13 February 2022...Update posted publicly at: 0214hrs
My co-citizen and I were deep asleep at Shaheed Chowk..(my 3rd night in a row and my co-citizen's 2nd night in a row...25th night since the 'Public Policy Workshop' began on the 20th of January 2022...remember that I spent the first 2 nights outside too.
0126hrs....2 lads on motorcycle...took off our blankets and then ran off....dropping the blankets a bit further on ..
0139hrs....came a 2nd time and managed to deprive us of the blanket on top.....challenging times now!
0147hrs...came a 3rd time and we managed to dodge them....they clearly live nearby.....
0150hrs....night police patrol came and asked us who we were....we explained and when we began discussing the motorcycle/blanket incident they sped off too!
0156hrs.....Sajaad Chowkidaar came....explained story.....conducted contingencies and began lighting up another bonfire!!!
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In the morning we consulted on the above incident with some members of civil society. They suggested that we give an application to the police to investigate, while reminding them of their responsibility to protect our lives, wealth and honour. Here it is:
Application to PS City Kotli 13/02/2022 c. 1500hrs
Above received by Muharar (clerk) City Thana (police station) Qayoom but refused to give index number (wasool number of complaint) which happens to be 217. Meanwhile, the Head Constable had some very unsavoury words for the concept of taxation and police salaries.
Our system of administration is still stuck in the British Raj!
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Further notes on this issue by Quayyum Raja and Journalist Fazal ur Rehman:
Urdu text for those who can't see it in the above post:
آزاد کشمیر انتظامیہ کی مجبوریاں قابل قبول نہیں!
ایک ہفتہ سے صحت اتنی خراب ہے کہ میں کوئی طویل تحریر پڑھنے اور لکھنے سے گریز کرتا ہوں لیکن ابھی ابھی تنویر احمد کی طرف سے تحفظ کے لیے پولیس کو لکھے جانے والے خط کی کاپی ملی ہے جس پر چند سطور لکھنے کی کوشش کر رہا ہوں۔
تنویر احمد جو کچھ بھی کر رہے ہیں پر امن طریقے سے کر رہے ہیں۔
کسی کے پیٹ میں مروڑ نہیں پڑنے چائیے۔
آزاد کشمیر کی انتظامیہ کا یہ کہنا کہ اس کی کچھ مجبوریاں ہیں تو ان میں اگر غیرت ہے تو اپنی مجبوریوں کے ساتھ قریب ترین دریا میں چھلانگ لگا دیں۔
انہیں یہ یاد رکھنا چاہیے کہ انگریزوں سے تنخواہ لے کر جو مجبوراََ اپنے لوگوں پر تنخواہ حلال کرنے کے لیے گولیاں چلایا کرتے تھے انہیں آج تاریخ کن الفاظوں سے یاد کرتی ہے۔
English translation of above note:
The compulsions (necessitation) of the AJK administration are not acceptable.
My health is so bad that for over a week that I have had to avoid reading or writing at length. Despite that, having just received a copy of Tanveer Ahmed's written application to the police for protection, I'm attempting to write a few lines (on this matter)
Whatever Tanveer Ahmed is doing, is doing in a peaceful manner. Nobody should have a stomach ache on account of this.
The AJK administration citing compulsions on their behalf (is irrelevant). If they have (even) an iota of honour or a sense of shame, then they should take these compulsions to the nearest river and take a plunge!
They should recall - in what words - those locals (natives) who took wages from the British colonialists and felt compelled to shoot at their own people to (honour their pledge to their 'masters'), are remembered in history.
End of translation......
Fazal ur Rehman:
.......
It would be good to make a video on a daily basis but is clear that the public is not yet able to digest the 24 cycle of activism on the ground...We are working as hard as possible and as creatively as possible to shake off the paralysis of our people:
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If readers recall our conversation with the SHO and DSP in the early hours of the morning yesterday, we did agree to reconvene today at midday. However, the SHO had a death to attend in his family and thus our meeting was postponed, as narrated to be by a police associate. Nevertheless, it was agreed that we will consult the public on how to take this 'land' and 'people' forward. The following is what transpired:
Public Policy - Kotli AJK
13/02/2022
Security:
Local police and law enforcement agencies can only take 50% responsibility for round the clock security at Shaheed Chowk.
The other 50% responsibility is on the district public itself.
Governance:
District Constitutional Conciliation Committee - Kotli - AJK
Need to identify 10 most popular politicians of district Kotli.
Pakistani narrative -
5 from existing or previously elected members of the AJK Legislative Assembly.
JKA narrative -
5 from what are normally described as 'nationalist' parties or individuals.
Decisions will be by majority vote. No abstentions allowed and thus 6 votes are minimum for progress.
End of public circular...please share to all aspiring citizens of AJK in particular.
We would prefer an agreed list by public consensus by 12 noon tomorrow, at Shaheed Chowk Kotli.
Here's the above in Urdu:
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Public awareness and attention has now been heightened by the 'blanket' incident this morning. Both at home and abroad. Amongst the public as well as the police. Security has also been beefed up.
Later in the evening Moharar (clerk) Qayoom came himself to take notes on this aforementioned incident.
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Update 22:35 hrs
The very same motorcycle and young men that were involved in the blanket stealing and public disturbance case in the early hours of this morning just drove by, dropped the blanket they stole and sped off!
We demand that instead of closing this case, these 2 young men be charged for stealing, public disturbance and attempting to make us freeze in the cold winter night of Shaheed Chowk - Kotli.
The Urdu translation of the update above can be read in the following post by Journalist Fazal ur Rehman of Smaahni:
.......
Said a co-citizen of mine:
طویل عرصہ سے جموں کشمیر کے شہریوں کو سزا۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔
.برطانیہ کے لارڈز، وائسرائے، بادشاہ ملکہ اور اس کے پریوار کو جنت میں نہیں جانے دی گی
ان کی روح کو کبھی سکون نہیں آئے گا۔
Translation:
Punishing the citizens of Jammu Kashmir for ages.......
The Lords, Viceroys, Kings & Queens and their families will not reach heaven.
Their souls will never achieve peace.
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Water is why JKA is the most precious yet contested 'real estate' in the world. Our co-citizens need to understand this.
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