Daily Diary (DD) - Day 130 of 2023

1157hrs:

Once again, we the people of AJK are paying for the sins of Pakistan. Our internet connectivity has been restricted since soon after Imran Khan's arrest yesterday. 

The volatility and instability of that country is a permanent feature of its existence. We have a much clearer path to governance and public policy and Pakistan's occupation of our territory is an unwarranted hindrance.

They were born out of hatred for Hindus and thus a denial of their past. They have a very narrow outlook for the future. We want to embrace the world with all its diversity, while securing our own territory, which we believe to be the most precious in the world.

The time for change is nigh. 

....

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 68 of 2022

1228hrs:

Day 49 at Martyr's Square Kotli

....

c. 1000hrs:

AJK public Agency has explained to the municipality of Kotli that despite attempts over the past few weeks - through notable citizens of Kotli - we were not able to receive a large bin (with lid) for keeping Shaheed Chowk clean and green. We have now decided to get our own made and have informed the municipality that they are welcome to provide us the required bin(s) at any point in the future.

....

Update 1530hrs on Wed 9 March 2022:             

It is understood that the local administration is under increasing pressure to evict me from Martyr's Square Kotli. Today is Day 49. So, we need to be clear where all this 'heat' is coming from. 

We also need to understand that we are on the precipice of permanent division of Jammu Kashmir & Allied areas (JKA).

Martyr's Square (Shaheed Chowk) Kotli is our last line of defence. If the public protects me, we will avoid division and continue travelling on the path of becoming amongst the top 10 economies of the world, with associated quality in governance. 

If the public cannot hold Shaheed Chowk, we are staring down a dark barrel.

All contingencies must be activated asap.

End of note....

An Urdu translation of the above note:

تازہ ترین 

1530 بجے منگل 09 مارچ، 2022:

شہید چوک کوٹلی سے مجھے اٹھانے کے لئے کوٹلی کی انتظامیہ پہ پریشر بڑھ رہا ہے۔ یہاں بیٹھے ہوئے مجھے 49 دن ہو چکے ہیں۔لہذا، ہم اپنے ہم وطنوں کو یہ سمجھنا چاہئےکہ یہ حرارت کہاں سے ا رہی ہے۔

ہمیں یہ بھی سمجھنے کی ضرورت ہے کہ متحدہ جموں کشمیر کو مستقل طور پہ تقسیم کرنے کی سازش آخری مرحلے تک پہنچ چکی ہے

شہید چوک کوٹلی ہمارے دفاع کا آخری حد ہے۔ اگر عوام مجھے محفوظ رکھتے ہیں تو ہم ریاستی تقسیم کو روکیں گئے اور دنیا کی دس بڑی معیشتوں کی صف میں کھڑے ہونے کی جدوجہد جاری رکھیں گئے، جس کے ساتھ عمدہ اور بہترین نظام حکومت بھی شامل ہے۔

اگر عوام شہید چوک کا دفاع نہیں کریں گئے تو ہم مزید گہری سرنگ میں چلے جائیں گئے۔

تمام تیار کی گئی حکمت عملیوں کو جلد از جلد حرکت میں لانا ہو گا۔

End of Urdu translation....

....

Meanwhile, the status of freedom of speech in AJK:

Inter-Universities Speech Competition is being organized by Kashmir Liberation Cell. The restrictions imposed on participants in this speech contest show how much freedom of expression there is in Pakistan-occupied Jammu Kashmir? Please take a look.👇#Freedom_Of_Speech_In_POJK ? pic.twitter.com/Mw92AEodBx

— Akmal Jarall (@aakmaljarall) March 9, 2022

Mono narratives = repression = slavery = a war against humankind

....

On the other hand, it has been fascinating to see AJK politicians associated with the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) merging their party flag with the 'Azad Kashmir' flag and shouting slogans of freedom from Modi and Imran, from Delhi and Islamabad; in Pakistan's capital Islamabad:  

پیپلز پارٹی کے لانگ مارچ میں آزادی خود مختاری کے نعروں کی گونج۔۔۔✌🏻

ہم کیا چاہتے آزادی
تیرا باپ بھی دیگا آزادی
ہم لے کر رہیں گے آزادی#FreeKashmir @jalilAJK @HamidMirPAK @zaara_kashmiri @Jkvoices1 @sahaafi @nailainayat @aakmaljarall @UN @beenasarwar pic.twitter.com/tU7f5ZhiZE

— Waheeda Kashmiri (@KashmiriWaheeda) March 9, 2022

....

 

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 232 of 2020

1942hrs:

We have to keep vigilance on our neighbourhood too:

Except that bth countries have Jammu Kashmir & Allied n btwn thm. Neither have conducted much field study, let alone acknowledge the legal & democratic rights of the inheritors of this legally sovereign territory. I hpe bth countries cn come 2 terms wth civil norms n 2020. #JandK https://t.co/Ph452Nll1T

— Tanveer Ahmed (@sahaafi) August 19, 2020

.........

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 214 of 2020

1729hrs:

Eid Mubarak to all those of you who are celebrating today and to all those who celebrated yesterday, wherever you are in the world.

I have learned from sources on the ground in Muzaffarabad that the Pakistani State's political representatives - in the shape of their Kashmir Committee - have been visible at the main Eidgah in the capital today. There is a sense brewing that the Pakistanis are preparing for something major on the 5th of August. They are of course being quite 'mum' about it. What is clear though is that whatever is brewing in the Pakistani mind in reference to AJK is unprecedented.

We also understand that the Kashmir Committee members will also be visiting the various squalid refugee camps scattered throughout Muzaffarabad and its vicinity.

Meanwhile, I remember our UK diaspora urging me to write an open letter to the then newly elected prime minister of Pakistan Imran Khan in the summer of 2018. I explained at the time that the time was not right. We needed to assess his performance over a period of time before developing any meaningful communication.

Given the AJK government's inability or undesirability to make its communication with the Pakistani State open and public, particularly as to what has transpired in the past week or so, I think this is now the optimum moment to draft this open letter to the Pakistani prime minister. Our public's anxieties about the Pakistani State's intent with reference to the status of AJK have reached an unprecedented high.

......     

Today's diary also coincides with our latest update of the People's Assembly concept and development in AJK. Thus, it was about time that I uploaded the bulk of the discussion that took place at 'Taryabi ni Baithak' on the 19th of December 2019, based upon which some questions emerged from the audience; the answers of which will be incorporated into the latest People's Assembly document:



......

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 16 of 2020

0958hrs:

Proceeding to Baloch.......still on schedule despite all the hurdles in between.

.....

Now, this is what I call lying through one's teeth:

"Let the people of #Kashmir decide what they want. #Pakistan is ready for a referendum or a plebiscite. Let them decide whether they want to remain with Pakistan or to be independent", says #ImranKhan in an exclusive interview with DW's @inespohl. https://t.co/GHrReyNJ1E

— DW Deutsche Welle (@DeutscheWelle) January 16, 2020

Here's the specific clip within the interview where our Western neighbour's political leader simply copies all his predecessors by pretending that his country is the epitome of flexibility when it is actually the master of intransigence. This is the posture that has destroyed Pakistan. It seems IK is no different:

How does @ImranKhanPTI plan to defuse tensions with Delhi?

That's what DW's Editor-in-Chief @inespohl asked the Pakistani prime minister, as tensions increasingly rise over Kashmir. pic.twitter.com/dnUxSviWZZ

— DW News (@dwnews) January 16, 2020

.......

Check out Pakistan's share:



It is 0.13%. Now, compare that to Bangladesh at 0.19%, India at 3.5% and China at 17.7%. The figures for Afghanistan are not available.

......

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 270 of 2019

2156hrs:

A day among a few days in the year that belong to New York, where India and Pakistan refresh their membership of the community that is known as the United Nations.

Earlier, we came across this:

I had this say:

Does #ImranKhanAtUN mean what he says or is he following the tradition of calculated ambiguity about Pakistan's role in #JandK ?


2 weeks ago on this day, 21 year old Khwaja Mujtaba Bandey was arrested & tortured for chanting slogans for an independent Kashmir, in front of Imran Khan in Muzaffarabad: Link

......

I hadn't listened to Imran Khan's speech at the General Assembly yet but decided to fire another salvo on Facebook, while he was speaking:

For those of you who can't read the text of the post:

We of the table strive for the battlefield to be dismantled, from our territory if not the world.

Who is preventing the construction of this home-made table?


Identify the alleged and activate the judicial process in #Gilgit #Jammu #Leh #Muzaffarabad and #Srinagar

.....

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 267 of 2019

1851hrs:

Earlier this afternoon:

The earth has just shook heavily for almost a minute in Dadyaal......just a minute ago.......

AJ English were very quick in breaking the news worldwide:

No confirmation on any possible casualties from the earthquake in Mirpur, Pakistan-administered Kashmir, yet. Disaster management officials say reviewing reports of infrastructure damage, particularly to roads. All the latest on @AJEnglish here: https://t.co/XvHuY9BqNu

— Asad Hashim (@AsadHashim) September 24, 2019

Just over 2 hours later:

#EarthquakeAlert, Pakistan's #Mirpur earthquake death Toll rises 19. With Over 300 injured, Says SSP Mirpur#EarthquakeInPakistan#earthquake pic.twitter.com/RjOwiri4gQ

— Ghulam Abbas Shah (@ghulamabbasshah) September 24, 2019

Mirpur, Jammu and Kashmir acknowledged by Facebook

Reflecting on what happened on a day which will be remembered as the 24th of September, the day of the Mirpur Earthquake:

It felt as if the earth underneath us suddenly transformed into sea waves...such was the vibration....

The death toll is going to continue to rise unfortunately, as are other losses.....it could be days before we can correctly assess the extent of damage.

It is comforting to notice so many people active on social media responding to relief and rehabilitation efforts so rapidly.

AJK has already received an unprecedented level of attention from global media in these past few weeks and now this happens...we thank humanity, our neighbours and global institutions for their continued attention.

List of the people who died and injured today in #earthquake #Mirpur #Jammu #Kashmir pic.twitter.com/F3uU8DxNhk

— #SaveRiverSaveMuzaffarabad (@khawajaatteeq) September 24, 2019

The use of the word Pakistan to describe disaster in AJK is a bit irksome, though we appreciate the attention and solidarity:

My condolences, on behalf of all of us at the British High Commission, to everyone affected by today’s earthquake in Pakistan. We are in close touch with the local authorities. https://t.co/aLIjxjTShb

— Thomas Drew (@TomDrewUK) September 24, 2019

.......

This issue has been heavily monitored by the people of Jammu & Kashmir over the past few days and further pinpoints the inability of the Pakistani State to advocate for J & K:

شاہ محمود اور عمران دونوں نے کہا کہ ہمارے پاس 50 سے زیادہ ممالک کی حمایت ہے اس کے باوجود 19 ستمبر تک قرارداد کیوں نہ پیش کی گئی جسکے لیے صرف 16 ووٹ درکار تھے؟؟#ImranKhanDoctrine pic.twitter.com/Be1I0MjkZL

— Engr AQ Khan (@aq263) September 23, 2019

The tweet is translated thus:

Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Imran Khan both have said that we have the support of over 50 countries. Despite that, why could they (Pakistan) not submit a resolution on the 19th of September, for which they needed just 16 votes?

......

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 78 of 2019

1601hrs:

JKNSF through their representative Faran Mushtaq send a strong message to the Pakistani occupiers of Jammu & Kashmir, in Rawalakot a while ago: 

Earlier today, some of the 30 captives of the Pakistani State were released. Some are still in unknown locations including their former president Sardar Talha Advocate, who it is reported was shifted from Waah Cantonment police station:

These are JKNSF activists arrested by Pakistan for chanting slogans 4 Independence of Jammu Kashmir. Both India & Pak r against the national independence of Jammu Kashmir. Freedom is not birth right of every one? ⁦@UN⁩ ⁦@BBCWorld⁩ ⁦@Europarl_EN⁩ ⁦@RT_com⁩ pic.twitter.com/QedaAHb2y5

— Human on Planet (@JK4JKpeoples) March 19, 2019

Now, take a note of this tweet:

عمران خان صاحب نے 2001 راولاکوٹ میں#JKNSF
کے کنونشن میں خطاب کرتے ہوۓ کشمیر کی خودمختاری کی حمایت کا علان کیا تھا۔۔.

کشمیریو تحریک انصاف جب حکومت میں آئے گی ، تو آپ کے ساتھ انصاف کرے گی - کسی قوم کو غلام نہیں رکھا جاسکتا.@ImranKhanPTI #ReleaseJKNSFActivists pic.twitter.com/IuBUCTTHOV

— Misaligned Stars (@AfzaalMajid1) March 19, 2019

Translated thus:

This is Imran Khan Sahaab in a JKNSF convention in Rawalakot in 2001. During his adddress he announced his support for an independent Kashmir.

(He further explained) that when PTI will come into government, justice will be done with you. No nation can be kept as slaves.

.....

Here's yet another example of how our children's education is neglected in AJK:

کیا یہ ہمارے بچے نہیں؟؟؟
😔
برف کی گود میں بےبسی کی تصویر بنے یہ بچے
مظفرآباد سے فقط ڈیڑھ گھنٹے کی مسافت پر واقع یونین کونسل پنجگراں کے گاوں چنمبہ  میں گورنمنٹ  مڈل سکول سے تعلق رکھتے ہیں
سکول کی عمارت کی تعمیر کے لئے سب سے مدد کی اپیل ہے pic.twitter.com/1ko1bg7GHr

— Asif Raza Mir (@AsifRazaMirak) March 19, 2019

Translated thus:

Are these not our children? 

Almost buried in the lap of snow, a picture of helplessness are these children. Situated barely an hour and a half's drive away from Muzaffarabad, in the Union Council of Panjgraan is the village of Chamba where this government middle school is. Hereby is an appeal to everybody to help in constructing a building (for the school).   

....

Now this is an article published on Yale Global Online that is right down my street as a public policy activist:

Why Governments Count People

...

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 63 of 2019

1827hrs:

I don't think I know this young gentleman but his tweet is very concise. Thanks for endorsing an internal political process in AJK. https://t.co/7hw7ebJgpO

— Tanveer Ahmed (@sahaafi) March 4, 2019

Now, having read through the above article, it transpires that the Urdu text of the tweet is actually a quote of Maqbool Bhat. Here's the translation:

The solution of the Kashmir issue can only be arrived at through dialogue & consensus and if we were to invite somebody to come and fight our war, we would only be damaging ourselves.

Remember that the war just requires constant struggle and (meaningful) discussion because we are a dignified and independent nation (from a historical perspective).

End of translation....

The article referenced above ends with a very appropriate couplet.

Urdu                                                                 

Khwaisho se nahi girtey phal joli me             
Waqt ki shaakh ko mere dost hilaana hoga     
Kuch nahi hoga andherey ko bura kehne se 
Apney hissey ka diya khud hi jalaana hoga   

English translation:

Not by (mere) desire does fruit fall into the lap
The branch of time my friend has to be shaken
Nothing will emerge by (just) criticising darkness
A share of the flame must be lit by us too

Now, the prime minister in the closest neighbouring country to us, has suddenly got my serious attention. I wonder if I'll get a response to this retweet. After all, I've waited many years for Pakistan to walk the walk. So much so that I've even created a twitter hashtag for it: #PakWalkDTalk

Fascinating. You've suddenly caught my attention from #AJK 4 d 1st x since we last met n 2004 (during Indo-Pak 1D series n Peshawar & Lahore). So this worthy person........do you know who he or she is or could be, that takes account of the wishes of (J&)K's people? #PakWalkDTalk https://t.co/egkkDlLEgj

— Tanveer Ahmed (@sahaafi) March 4, 2019

Now, on the surface the above tweet sounds magnanimous but let's not forget what happened to Shahid Afridi when he spoke in favour of Kashmir's independence, barely 3 months ago.

On this very day, Al Jazeera puts some spotlight on AJK - first web text feature ever to my knowledge - with this suggestive title: In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, a shrinking pro-freedom space

I particularly liked the following quote from it:

Tariq Farooq, a senior minister in the AJK government, concurred with that view.

"Anybody can do anything, claim anything, discuss anything in this area. In our government, everybody has full fundamental rights to speak anything which is related with human rights," he told Al Jazeera in the AJK capital, Muzaffarabad.

Asked if that freedom extended to parties advocating for Pakistani forces to leave Kashmir, he said: "They can't say that".

End of quote:

I also gave my feedback to Al Jazeera in the following manner:

Many thanks for giving some attention to AJK. I would strongly suggest doing a similar piece on Gilgit Baltistan, if possible.

Ultimately, ditto for Jammu & Ladakh too. In that way, a global reader can get a rough idea of the various internal public narratives existing in the erstwhile princely State of Jammu & Kashmir.

I appreciate you reading this

Tanveer Ahmed

- An independent researcher on AJK

ajkpublicagency.org

End of feedback....

...

The following conversation adds even more intellectual nourishment to the concept of an internal political process, which I will now write about tomorrow. Meanwhile, this footage is from yesterday:



....