Daily Diary (DD) - Day 19 of 2022

2144hrs:

Of course, I am primarily consumed with the Malik Waseem case. This is their third day out in the cold. I felt a lot of anger inside me for 'allowing' this to happen. One always feel there is more that they could have done to prevent matters from getting this far.

In my morning conversation with him it became clear that mounting pressure is developing on him by the administration to make a 'deal' but his response is that why isn't his adversary given a 'deal'? Why is he being uprooted? 

He also has the answer.

There is a new judicial complex being built nearby and that has increased the value of Ratan Singh's land. Land speculators want him out first, knowing that he and his family will resist - and is resisting - and they also know that the other members of the community may not put up such a resistance on their turn. It should be remembered that this is 'evacuee property'. It cannot be sold or commercialised - its occupancy can only be interim - until the evacuee's descendants return or some other amicable solution is arrived at, to the satisfaction of the people of Jammu Kashmir & Allied areas. The Indians played ball on 'evacuee property' on that side until the 5th of August 2019 - in general - and as far as one has gathered from anecdotal evidence thus far. However, demographic changes are apace there now, we are informed.  

In short, the 'big fish' want to gobble up the 'small fish' without mercy. The classic contest between strong and weak is in full flow.

This is why the Commissioner of Muzaffarabad Masood ur Rehman (remember him? does Mahmood Musafir ring a bell?) cannot agree with Malik Waseem's story, as pointed out in yesterday's weblog entry. Apparently, some bureaucrats and members of the judiciary have already worked out how much and who is going to benefit from this land grab.

The original Sikh owners are nowhere in the picture. The claiming adversary of Malik Waseem lives in the UK and will profit from acting as proxy. Someone needs to interview him, if possible.

Meanwhile, it may be notable to add that Malik Waseem's father Ghulam Qadir and his paternal uncle Wali Muhammad are retired soldiers of the Pakistani army. They have both appealed for help, protection and justice. In a sea of drowning hope, they have both made a plea to the Pakistani army to intervene:

Father Ghulam Qadir

Uncle Wali Muhammad 

Coverage of Waseem's family issue has expanded to various platforms on social media. Here's an example:

AJK Point (media channel in Muzaffarabad) also made a thoughtful video which cannot be embedded for some reason, despite several attempts. (You can click the hyperlink 'embedded' in the previous sentence to access it though.

In the evening I called Sardar Shameem Sahaab for an emergency meeting on Malik Waseem's issue. Here's a summary of the conversation:

It seems the pressure on Waseem from various quarters has forced him to retract or clarify his statement about India's prime minister. Who else but Irfan Ashraf (remember him from Tehreek e Jawanaan vs. JKNSF in Kotli?) to provide the platform:

Most of us will be able to add 2 + 2 together above.

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As we are on the subject of enforced migrations, let's find time to also explore the plight of the Kashmiri Pandits:

Kashmiri Pandits Observe 32nd Black Day https://t.co/ZOYmAcShE9 via @dailytimespak @manojsinha_ @ashokbhan11 @santoshkashmiri @rraina1481 @MuzzafarShah1 @tarigami @ghulamnazad @HCI_London @RahulGandhi @SheikhAamir_inc @Iftikhar_Misgar @MUHAMMA88520330 @AdvNeelofar

— Syed Nazir Gilani (@JKCHR) January 19, 2022

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Let's change the subject now, or at least some of it. I thought the following Dogri song was striking, inclusive and our geographically distinct identity was clarified. Well done!

Me kali Kashmir di they Jammu da Ghulab da:

I did check the whole video on YouTube. The channel had a distinctly Indian name and the rest of the video had very different themes. This segment took on the national question in a very creative way. For example, she says Pakistan and China dream of it and this is neither Delhi or Punjab! (She couldn't say India for obvious reasons, so the creativity in lyrics was smart. Saying this is not Delhi is effectively giving the same message). Dogra museum and I think the Tawi bridge in the background. Claiming ownership of both Jammu and Kashmir was also interesting I think.

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 360 of 2021

1412hrs:

A lot of commotion happening on JKA. That's Jammu Kashmir & Allied. A nomenclature I'm using to make simple sense of c. 85,000 square miles of territory, geographically situated between (six) of the largest collection of mountain ranges in the world and in the vicinity of almost half the world's population. Among other strategic factors, it is the most contested freshwater source of the world too. 

Yesterday evening a notable personality of our territory, asked me for a note on happenings over the past few days, in relation to JKNSF Azad's emphatically successful convention on the 24th and 25th of December in Kotli.

He wanted to send it to some foreign diplomats.

There's a lot of untoward happening in the United Kingdom too. We are investigating obstruction and illegal surveillance of the internal narrative in AJK there.

Here's the note:

Growing tension emerged between pro Pakistani influences and pro freedom voices over the past few days in AJK. This was in the wake of 27 year old chairman of Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) Manzoor Pashteen's invitation to attend Jammu Kashmir National Students Federation's (JKNSF Azad) convention in Kotli on the 24th and 25th of December 2021.

Despite being a peaceful movement of Pashtuns seeking redressal of grave human rights violations on their people by the military organ of the Pakistani State, PTM's genuine grievances rather than being heard have led to them being proscribed and targeted for raising their voice. Such a movement's chairman being invited into AJK by a decades old students organisation in this territory - known for its 'resistance of occupation' politics - created panic in Pakistan's establishment circles.

The latter reacted by issuing a notification to ban Manzoor Pashteen's entry into AJK on the 22nd of December. They also underwent a propaganda drive to counter NSF's (short for JKNSF and used hereon) convention. A previously obscure organisation 'Tehreek e Jawanaan Kashmir' (referred to as TJK hereon) led by Irfan Ashraf of Rawalakot led this propaganda drive in favour of the Pakistani State, by announcing that they would celebrate M. A. Jinnah's birthday in Kotli on the 25th; as a show of power to drown out nationalistic influences in the territory. Meanwhile, the Pakistani State also tried to prevent the NSF convention from going ahead as announced.

What transpired on the 24th and 25th of December is that the NSF convention went ahead as scheduled in Kotli. Many other pro freedom voices and parties announced their solidarity with the NSF and condemned the Pakistani State's attempts to muzzle internal voices here once again. Even advising the NSF to defy these obstructions.

Irfan Ashraf known to work very closely with Pakistan's intelligence agencies - which almost won him a legislative seat at the recently concluded elections here - couldn't muster more than 20 people for TJK's birthday celebration of Pakistan's founder on Christmas Day. This is despite the heavy propaganda campaign leading up to this event. A day before in Kotli (on the 24th) they had tried hard to persuade the public of Kotli - by loudspeaker announcements throughout the city - to participate at this event. It is clear from photos, videos and local knowledge that hardly any local participated. Those who did were either from Rawalakot or were Pakistani citizens.

Whereas JKNSF Azad engaged a few hundred people at both their convention on the 24th and their public gathering on the 25th, as photos and videos will indicate. They were able to gain sympathy and credibility at home and abroad while those sponsored by the Pakistani State could hardly gain any traction in Kotli at all.

There was heavy police presence throughout Kotli over these couple of days, as anything was possible. The 'authorities' did jam communications through part of the day on the 25th, which prevented Manzoor Pashteen from addressing NSF's convention via electronic communication.

It has been noticed particular in the last couple of years - post August 2019 - that whatever the Pakistani State does to counter Jammu Kashmir & Allied's internal narrative - tends to backfire on them - leaving them humiliated and exposed in the eyes of local public opinion as well as among our diaspora. Countless examples can be referred to in this respect.

End of note...

Here are a couple of photos to show the contrast:

1) Pro Pakistan forces in Kotli on Christmas Day

2) Pro freedom forces in Kotli on Christmas Day

The following video gives you a dynamic contrast of the 2 events (2 narratives) occurring in such close proximity to each other and simultaneously at that:

 

Earlier in the day, JKNSF Azad's procession from Shaheed Chowk in the following video can also be compared to TJK's procession to Abshaar Chowk in the previous video:

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Meanwhile, on this very day an interview of former prime minister of AJK Raja Farooq Haider was conducted by JK News Urdu in Smaahni:

Here are some salient points that he mentioned during his interview:

AJK is not recognised anywhere in the world and Pakistan has never taken this point seriously. The latter is adamant on representing us.

There is a concerted effort to dilute the 'Kashmir Issue' and permanently divide the territory of Jammu & Kashmir between India and Pakistan. Pakistan's attempts to merge Gilgit Baltistan into its federation is a step in that direction.

The recently concluded 'Russell Tribunal' in Sarajevo (Bosnia) has nothing to do with the Pakistani government. It was something instigated by our diaspora. Pakistan's role is effectively non-existent.

Demographic change is taking place on both sides of the Line of Control and Pakistan was first in conducting such measures (in GB).

Raja Farooq Haider reiterates the point that until the people of this territory are not given the opportunity to represent themselves, Kashmir will continue to be perceived as a land dispute between India and Pakistan. In such a scenario, the world will always give precedence to the rising economy of India rather than the sinking economy of Pakistan. Thus, we have no face value, he contends.

The State of Jammu & Kashmir is a multi religious society, not a fundamentalist Muslim entity.

His concluding message to all citizens (young and old) of Jammu Kashmir (& Allied) as it stood on the 14th of August 1947 is to do whatever is possible to save this State, if you want to continue your existence.

He recognised that our plight is because we are surrounded by large nuclear powers and that we need to instigate democratic institutions throughout the developed world. He also recognised that there is barely any democracy in the Muslim World. Raja Farooq Haider considered social media to be a powerful tool and urged our people - local and in the diaspora - to persistently highlight our plight.

End....

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