Daily Diary (DD) - Day 272 of 2019

2140hrs:

In Muzaffarabad once again and the humidity here is more than palpable.

Azaadi Chowk! Where Else?

......

Kotli(POK): 9 years old Mofaiz being arrested & tortured by police in a false theft case. It’s been 22 days of his arrest. How police launched FIR against 9 years old boy? @tariqfarooq60 @farooq_pm @PIDAZADKASHMIR @pid_gov @geonews_urdu @HamidMirPAK @sahaafi pic.twitter.com/UZ3wZaWmrR

— JKPNP (@JKPNP3) September 29, 2019

....

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 224 of 2019

1336hrs:

It is Eid today and this is the first time in over 2 years of living in Dadyaal, that I'm celebrating Eid here.

It could and perhaps should've been Eid on the LOC but it can be described as Eid on the cold border. This is how we describe our border with Pakistan, as opposed to the frequently hot border at the LOC.

.....

Earlier this morning, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Pakistan's foreign minister read Eid in AJK's capital Muzaffarabad. As soon as he came out the public began chanting slogans of, "Azaadi is paar bhi lengey..Azaadi us paar bhi lengey" (Freedom we will take on this side..Freedom we will take on that side too) repeatedly:



Pakistan's graph in AJK has dwindled rapidly since India's seemingly unilateral action to downgrade 48% of the State of J & K into 2 union territories of India. 

....

I have elaborated at some length on that previous sentence here:



......

....Yes, this gentleman in Azaadi Chowk Muzaffarabad is asking Pakistan to sit down, repeatedly. That it has stood for too long for Kashmir and Kashmiris....it must be tired....

Fantastic.......words of the week perhaps..... https://t.co/iUuBOFezeP

— Tanveer Ahmed (@sahaafi) August 12, 2019

.........

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 220 of 2019

0947hrs:

Somehow it seems as if yesterday didn't even happen because I slept through most of it.

....

Here is some clarity on article 370, for the uninitiated:

This Indian Supreme Court lawyer says abrogation of Kashmir’s semi-autonomy renders India as an occupier in the region pic.twitter.com/5DkFyoNskA

— Baba Umar (@BabaUmarr) August 6, 2019

.....

Here's the UN Human Rights Organisation's view from Geneva yesterday:



I also thought it opportune to tweet a message to the above referenced organisation in reference to their 2 annual consecutive reports on Jammu & Kashmir (2018 & 2019):

The world's premier & most resourceful human rights organisation must continue engaging with power 2 provide a deterrence n behalf f d unrepresented people f d world. There is no alternative peaceful & effective means f ensuring a rules based world order. https://t.co/WecQAG90M6

— Tanveer Ahmed (@sahaafi) August 8, 2019

.....

Just to illustrate one example (in Azaadi Chowk, Muzaffarabad) of many in AJK over the past few days, whereby the Pakistani narrative has been overtaken by the local internal narrative of AJK in protests against the unilateral amendment of Article 370 by the BJP in India:

Meanwhile your Kashmiri brothers slapped on face of Pakistani officials by replacing Pakistani flags with their kashmiri flags while chanting slogans at Azadi chowk Muzaffarabad capital of Pak occupied Kashmir. pic.twitter.com/e9bB8j40zG

— Dïsputēd جی بی ⚠️ (@DisputedGBPak) August 7, 2019

......

I always felt that the ghost of Maqbool Bhat will always haunt both India and Pakistan until they vacate the territory of Jammu & Kashmir. This article (written on February the 11th 2014) by a budding writer/economist from Rawalakot is a timely reminder of how India's preemptive unilateral action has not only embarrassed Donald Trump but more so the State of Pakistan who's inherent contradictions over the 'freedom struggle' of Kashmir have exposed it to the hilt:

A valid reminder of Pakistan's inherent contradictions towards the 'Kashmiri Freedom Struggle' Maqbool Butt: Kashmir doesn’t want any of it, no Indian rulers and no Pakistani generals! https://t.co/dJTG5Wrfat via @tribuneblogs

— Tanveer Ahmed (@sahaafi) August 8, 2019

......

For some years now, I have opined that Shabana Mahmood is our greatest hope in the British Parliament. Judging from her speeches recorded in Hansard, she comes closest to espousing an internal J & K narrative:



.....

Yes, it has been a very busy day so far:



...... 

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 199 of 2019

2111hrs:

In the afternoon I was avoiding the sun. In the evening and 50 kilometres later, I'm searching for a cloak to keep me warm.

Such is my motherland.

......

My motherland would not be so hotly contested if it wasn't for:



....

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 172 of 2019

0026hrs:

The slogan "Tu Abaad Me Abaad - Muzaffarabad,,Muzaffarabad" (Dear Muzaffarabad: If you're populated/settled/prosperous then so am I) has been ringing in my ears for the past few months, gradually as if it is proceeding towards a crescendo. 

The concepts of rule of law and freedom of assembly are also constantly 'playing' in the background.

After all, my current address is Azaadi Chowk.

......

The following should be self-explanatory for my co-citizens but alas....

Thank you. I think every citizen of #JandK should read this and take it to heart and mind. Certainly if they are serious about the concept of freedom.

— Tanveer Ahmed (@sahaafi) June 20, 2019

........

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 171 of 2019

1743hrs:

Muzaffarabad can be really hard work at times.......our people fear change as much as they aspire for it. Claiming ownership of a territory isn't possible when your actions belie even being classified as a tenant. There is an inverse relationship between fear and opportunity in the context of fundamental rights. If you don't embolden yourself, you are emboldening your adversary.

Change is the only constant in history. One can even take inspiration whilst sitting in a room with a view, by noticing how the weather has changed in a matter of minutes:

Reasonably sunny

Torrential rain

I wanted to translate the following Facebook post from a couple of days ago for its insightful comparative analysis between how water and power generation issues are dealt with in Pakistan compared to the 'imposed sacrifices' we have to put up with in AJK and GB:



Translated thus:

Last year in June, the then Chief Justice (of Pakistan's Supreme Court) Saaqib Nisaar said that whosoever opposes the construction of Kalabagh Dam will be prosecuted under article 16. Precisely 15 minutes later, Sayed Nasir Shah, a minister in Sindh (Pakistan's Southern province) adroitly responded to the Chief Justice's statement thus, "Whosoever will support the construction of Kalabagh Dam will be prosecuted under article 16!" 

I dare any bold soul in Punjab, Kashmir (AJK) or Gilgit (GB) to respond to a serving Chief Justice in such a manner!

(Meanwhile) After this stern response (from the Sindhi minister) the Cheif Justice never again as much as mentioned Kalabagh dam (in public) but rather promptly began collecting funds for (hydropower projects in) Diamer Basha (in GB) and Mohmand (KPK).

In our Azad Kashmir, our ultra-nationalist, extremely abrupt, facetious yet honourable prime minister Raja Farooq Haider Sahab says that I don't even know who ordered the action (of dismantling the sit-in protest camp) and arresting members of the 'Save Rivers Movement'. He went on to say (when pursued to explain) that the Chief Secretary whilst obeying orders from 'above', in turn directed the Commissioner (of Muzaffarabad) to take the action (required and thus bypassing the PM). 

Anyhow, about 2 years ago in a similar situation when an IG (Inspector General of Police) in Sindh began harassing the (provincial) government in Sindh, the latter utilised the power of the provincial assembly to make an infant out of the IG (as in belittled and humiliated him). To such an extent that apart from drawing his salary from the bank every month, he had no other power whatsoever.

4 or 5 years ago when (the then) prime minister of Azad Kashmir (Choudhary Majeed) tried to expel the Chief Secretary and IG (lent officers in AJK) from AJK, Farooq Haider was seen defending and standing in solidarity with both lent officers. 

The political career of Farooq Haider Sahab began after the death of the late Ishaq Zafar whereby he flourished in the name of protecting the rights of Muzaffarabad. However, his political career now seems to be floundering, in its final stages towards an exit from the political landscape. 

End of translation...

......


I couldn't even get round to visiting Azaadi Chowk during the day today, thus I can't show you the latest photo of it. Tomorrow definitely.

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 170 of 2019

0623hrs:

A lot to cover......in consequence to a lot to think about at Azaadi Chowk, Muzaffarabad.

This might be a good beginning:

For those of you interested in government notices (Section 144)...check this out hanging in the vicinity of Azaadi Chowk:

A Warning of Intent

Translated thus:

Notice of Awareness for the Public at Large

The public at large (in general) is informed that under section 144 all forms of public congregation/marches/agitation/protests in the areas around the vicinity of Burhan Wani Chowk (Azaadi Chowk) and the (Central) Press Club are banned, (Irrespective) of whether they are individual or collective and including all forms of public protest. If this notice is contravened (disobeyed) the perpetrators will face proceedings under APC 188.


On the Order of District Magistrate Muzaffarabad 

end of translation....
.....

The following is an ominous depiction of how peaceful protests for fundamental rights on either side of J & K are treated:

کیا فرق ہے?? لال چوک سرینگر ۔بمقابلہ۔ آزادی چوک مظفرآباد Pakistan Administered Kashmir Vs Indian Administered Kashmir #PAK #IAK#DariyaBachao #KashmirBachao pic.twitter.com/IsiZHwjySQ

— AKLM Official (@AKLM_Official) June 19, 2019

The picture on the left of your screen is of Azaadi Chowk in Muzaffarabad and on the right of Laal Chowk in Srinagar.

.....

The 'deep State' is prompt in preempting future congregation at Azaadi Chowk:



Here are some photos of how these changes emerged over the hours:

1 of 10

2 of 10

3 of 10

4 of 10

5 of 10

6 of 10

7 of 10

8 of 10

9 of 10

10 of 10

.....

This article that I am responding to is from April the 10th and given my work schedule I only got around to responding to it this morning:


......