Daily Diary (DD) - Day 293 of 2026

1145hrs:

Day 138 of this imposed war on our territory and we are now beginning to look at world records for peaceful sit-in protests:

Google AI presents the following details:

1. The White House Peace Vigil (Washington, D.C., USA)

• Duration: June 3, 1981 – September 2025 (over 44 years)

• Cause: Global nuclear disarmament and anti-war activism.

• Details: Started by anti-nuclear activist William Thomas and later maintained round-the-clock by stewards including Concepción Picciotto and Philipos Melaku-Bello. It is recognized by Guinness World Records for the longest peace vigil by an individual, continuing continuously until the shelter was dismantled by authorities in late 2025.

2. The Aboriginal Tent Embassy (Canberra, Australia)

• Duration: January 26, 1972 – Present (over 54 years)

• Cause: Indigenous land rights, sovereignty, and human rights.

• Details: Established on the lawn of Old Parliament House in Canberra on Australia Day in 1972, it is recognized as the world's longest-running continuous protest camp for Indigenous land rights.

3. The British Anti-Apartheid Movement (United Kingdom)

• Duration: 1959 – 1994 (35 years)

• Cause: Opposing South African apartheid and pressuring the international community and UK government for economic sanctions.

• Details: Characterized by decades of continuous boycotts, pickets, and sustained public demonstrations until the dismantling of apartheid and the release of Nelson Mandela.

4. Tibetan Freedom & Autonomy Movement (Global / Exile)

• Duration: 1959 – Present (over 67 years)

• Cause: Self-determination, human rights, and cultural autonomy for Tibet.

• Details: Marked by continuous peaceful resistance, spiritual leadership under the Dalai Lama, and sustained global advocacy campaigns following the 1959 Tibetan uprising.

(End of Google AI content)

..

Now, let me search for the Indian sub-continent and its surroundings (South/Central Asia):

(The following is Google AI content)

Long-running peaceful protests in the Indian subcontinent span individual civil disobedience campaigns, prolonged sit-ins, and multi-year hunger strikes:

• Irom Sharmila’s Hunger Strike (16 Years): Known as the "Iron Lady of Manipur," civil rights activist Irom Chanu Sharmila undertook an indefinite hunger strike from November 2, 2000, to August 9, 2016 (nearly 16 years, or 5,757 days). She protested against the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) and was arrested and force-fed via a nasal tube in judicial custody for most of that duration before ending the fast to enter politics.

• Amaravati Farmers' Capital Region Protest (Over 1,600 Days): Farmers and landowners in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh, staged a continuous, multi-year peaceful protest and sit-in opposing plans to decentralize the state capital or shift government functions away from Amaravati, lasting well over 1,600 days.

• Shaheen Bagh Sit-In Protest (101 Days): During the winter of 2019–2020, thousands of demonstrators—led predominantly by women—maintained a continuous 2D/2N peaceful sit-in highway block in New Delhi for 101 days against the Citizenship 

• Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) until it was cleared due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.

• 2020–2021 Indian Farmers' Protest (Over a Year): Farmers from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and other states camped at the borders of New Delhi (such as Singhu, Tikri, and Ghazipur) from November 2020 to December 2021 (over 370 days) in a massive peaceful agitation against three federal agricultural reform laws, leading the government to repeal the legislation.

• Mahatma Gandhi's Salt March / Satyagraha Campaigns (Historical Precedents): While individual marches like the 24-day 1930 Salt March lasted weeks, broader non-violent civil disobedience movements led by Gandhi and the Indian National Congress spanned months to years across the independence struggle.

(End of Google AI content)

..

Ok , so our efforts haven't yet registered with Google AI!

Let's try a different query:

Where does the JK JAAC protest in Azad Jammu & Kashmir stand (into its 148th day today & preceded by a government lockdown that began on the 5th of June 2026) compared to other peaceful sit-in protests around the world?

Response from Google AI:

The protest movement led by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JKJAAC / JAAC) in Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) stands as a highly distinct and deeply repressive chapter in the history of long-term grassroots political resistance.

When contextualized alongside historical and contemporary long-term sit-ins or popular protests globally—such as India's Farmers' Protest (2020–2021), Canada’s Freedom Convoy (2022), or the Shaheen Bagh sit-in (2019–2020)—the situation in AJK stands out dramatically across several key areas:

1. Classification Under Anti-Terrorism Laws

Unlike most peaceful global civil movements that face policing or municipal injunctions, the Pakistani state took the extreme measure of banning the JAAC under the 2014 Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA). UN human rights experts and groups like Amnesty International have formally stated that designating a coalition of traders, lawyers, and civil society activists as a "terrorist organization" is a severe violation of international law. This places the JAAC standoff into a much harsher legal context than contemporary western or regional protests.

2. High Density of Lethal Violence

While long-term sit-ins (like the 16-month Indian Farmers' Protests) often endure harsh weather, structural blockades, or isolated altercations, the AJK protests have seen a disproportionate and lethal state crackdown. Clashes involving paramilitary forces (the Pakistan Rangers) have led to a heavily disputed but confirmed high casualty rate—ranging from dozens to over 80 reported civilian deaths alongside law enforcement fatalities since June 2026.

3. Total Information and Media Blockades

A critical point of divergence from other global protests is the absolute isolation of the theater of protest. While global digital movements thrive on live-streaming (e.g., Hong Kong or Black Lives Matter), the AJK region has faced state-enforced, prolonged internet blackouts, mobile data suspensions, and a strict ban on international media entering the territory. This prevents accountability and heavily restricts independent reporting to the outside world.

4. Comparison of Scale, Demands, and Outcomes

Feature

(i) JKJAAC Protest (AJK, 2026)

(ii) Indian Farmers' Protest (2020-21)

(iii) Shaheen Bagh Sit-In (India, 2019-20)

Primary Driver

(i) Constitutional autonomy, removing 12 reserved refugee seats, and socioeconomic subsidies. 

(ii) Repeal of three federal agricultural market deregulation laws. 

(iii) Opposing the citizenship law (CAA) and national registry (NRC).

Duration

(i) 148+ Days (Preceded by a June 5 proscription/lockdown).

(ii) 370 Days 101 Days (Ended due to COVID-19 lockdowns)

State Treatment

(i) Banned under anti-terror laws; foreign media blacklisted; region-wide telecom shutdowns. 

(ii) Barricades, teargas, and water cannons; media access remained largely intact. 

(iii) Strict policing and traffic blockades; high national and global media visibility.

Current Status 

(i) Highly Volatile. Despite intermittent, successful local clearances or local government negotiation attempts in specific pockets (like Bagh/Kothian), systemic core demands remain unresolved, and deep public resentment remains high. 

(ii) Resolved. Government formally repealed all three controversial farm laws.

(iii) Dispersed. Cleared by law enforcement during pandemic restrictions.

Current Standoff Status

While local administrations have routinely attempted to broker piece-meal negotiations and clear specific arteries to project a "return to normalcy", the core drivers—the abolition of the 12 assembly seats and systemic economic grievances—remain an unyielding constitutional deadlock. The movement stands globally as an example of absolute civil defiance operating under a blanket of total state securitization.

....

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 214 of 2026

0336hrs:

It can be understood on this 59th day of an imposed war by Pakistan to cover up its incompetence to deliver 'governance' to AJK, that an 11 day lapse in daily weblogging is to be considered 'normal'. 

Not only is our net connectivity extremely limited and confined to diminishing pockets of land where we are able to catch signals from the 'enemy country', our normal phone service is also extremely limited, especially in the epicentre of this do or die war in Poonch division. 

Today's weblog will feature an open letter that I wrote to JK JAAC (Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee) given that there is still a gap between their understanding of the critical scenario we all collectively face in AJK and that of this writer. 

Such gaps are inevitable and should be acknowledged as healthy differences between a diverse set of people; with varying levels of expertise, experience, exposure and skill sets. 

This writer understands the immense responsibility on the shoulders of the core committee of JK JAAC and their need to play 'safe' in terms of public narrative. Rather than insisting that they change their narrative from a 'demands based' strategy to an 'ownership-building' strategy - it is more appropriate to regularly convey one's concerns and maintain engagement during these critical times - that are undoubtedly unprecedented in the 78 year history of AJK. 

..

The following letter was written on the 26th of July 2026:

Open Letter to JK JAAC from JKA PUBLIC AGENCY

On the 52nd day of this imposed war by the Pakistani State (without genuine constitutional or legal basis) on the land & population of the territory of Azad Jammu & Kashmir, I (Tanveer Ahmed - an independent researcher supporting all public interest endeavours in this territory for the past 21 years) wish to put my concerns and reservations to you in an open, transparent & public manner; as it is most certainly a matter of life & death for #RightsMovementAJK in general, as well as Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee #JK #JAAC in particular.

In my opinion, it needs to be understood that whatever the Pakistani State says or does is a matter of ambiguity and deception. This is true to form of its record as a country since its birth in August 1947.

2 aims of the Pakistani State in this current war on the whole population of AJK are:

1) To totally crush any form of public rights movement in the territory - either through brute force where possible or by deception while using the sacred faith of Islam as a propaganda tool - with particular targeting of JAAC and its sympathisers, who in many estimations has reached 90% of the population.

2) To forcibly integrate AJK & Gilgit Baltistan into the Pakistani federation, in a similar manner to what India did on the other side of the LOC on 5 August 2019.

It is in such circumstances that I have regularly engaged with JAAC since the 10th of June 2026 (47 days ago when we all camped out at Eidgaah, Dreak, Rawalakot, Poonch and where we all remain).

I did intimate, advise & stress to all present core members from the 14th of June 2026 onwards - in written form - that JAAC should under no circumstances engage in direct talks with any form of representation from the State of Pakistan - without credible external mediation - which in my opinion could only be UK MPs of AJK origin, given Britain's colonial legacy and stakes of these MPs in our territory.

I also advised that JAAC should ask our diaspora to explore international legal options to make the State of Pakistan accountable for their unwarranted aggression.

On the 28th of June, in light of local public opinion analysing the prevailing scenario of the Pakistani State's continuous onslaught of killings, arrests and targeted torture of our activists; coupled with the non-commitment of the United Kingdom to fulfill its legal responsibilities: I advised JAAC to abandon their 38 point charter and concentrate on exercising the people's authority (ref. JKA PUBLIC AGENCY Note: #E212423062026 ).

Given that hitherto JAAC had strictly abided by the prevailing (clearly imposed) constitutional framework in AJK, despite it contradicting the 24th October 1947 provisional government declaration (born out of a rebellion against the autocratic ruler), the UN conflict resolution framework, the Pakistani constitution and all generally accepted universal human rights norms. I understood that to be a prudent strategy to focus on delivering basic needs to the AJK population, while avoiding the aggression of the Pakistani State wherever possible.

Now that aggression has come to the forefront of global attention, whereby the Pakistani State proved once again that it is not capable of abiding by its own (colonially crafted) laws, nor is it capable of fulfilling any verbal or written agreements. Rather it is only capable of wanton aggression or deceptive dialogue to try and get it's way.

I thus urged you - JAAC - to adopt a legal & constitutional stance that reflects our status as subjects cum citizens locally and what is confirmed by international law viz. that the inhabitants of this territory are the genuinely entitled, whereas India & Pakistan are claimants to our State, whose legality can only be derived from the local people's reference, without compulsion or enticement.

In this regard, I remind you that we - as a people under siege - can no longer afford that the Pakistani State dictate our defence, communications, currency & foreign policy. Not just because they never abided by any genuine legal procedure to obtain these public policy subjects but that they have abused whatever little trust our people had in them, irrespective of the Pakistani State's self-serving assumptions.

I for one - and I am sure that I speak for many others - cannot return to our homes in Mirpur division or Muzaffarabad division where our lives, wealth & honour continue to remain at the mercy of the Pakistani State.

We must exercise our right to self determination using our own initiative and our entitlement as State subjects cum aspiring citizens of an increasingly globalised world, just as most of the rest of the world has done, rather than naively await for some sort of green signal or non existent certification from elsewhere to protect our lives, wealth & honour. 

Only the people of this territory can guarantee peace in this territory and only the people of Jammu Kashmir & Allied (areas) can guarantee peace in their State. 78 years of regional conflict have proved that neither India nor Pakistan, or even the rest of the world can guarantee peace here.

Thus, I urge JAAC to shift their strategy to an internally designed governance delivery model, that will revive a thousands of years old peace economy, rather than persist with an externally reliant demands based governance delivery model, that will do its utmost to try and kill us to prevent delivery, whilst inevitably keeping our future generations stuck in a conflict economy.

If you all recall my public briefing to JAAC on the 30th of March 2026 in Dadyaal, I did state that we have overcome the prevention of rights barrier constructed by Muzaffarabad in May 2024 and are on the verge of overcoming the prevention of rights barrier constructed by Islamabad (Pakistan), as they have no intention of fulfilling these 38 demands you have enlisted and will turn on you to try and cover their incompetence. The next (3rd) barrier is our own egos which we have to manage in order to drive forward this internally designed governance delivery model, that has taken 21 years of independent research to complete and which requires an internal public contract between each other to succeed. This will prepare us for an external public contract with the rest of the world, the last and final (4th) barrier.

Finally, I urge you to concentrate on restoring our 'Right to Rule' (Haq e Hukmrani) in Poonch division first, where the people's authority is operating effectively in response to the massacre of our people by Pakistani security forces on the 7th & 8th of June 2026 in Rawalakot. Those who can secure their territory can also rule over it.

Poonch division's success will be emulated by Mirpur division and then Muzaffarabad division, just like the beginning of #RightsMovementAJK in 2023 began here in Poonch, before being adopted by Mirpur and then Muzaffarabad. In this respect, I maintain my stance as from the outset (5 June 2026) that we need not converge on Muzaffarabad. It was a capital decided externally to focus our attention on Srinagar. That all changed on the 5th of August 2019 when the joint understanding of India & Pakistan to usurp our State became clear to the world. We also need to change in light of what the Pakistani State is trying to do since the 5th of June 2026.

If we remain stuck on the 2nd barrier (Islamabad), we are in danger of being usurped by Pakistan and they will tell the world that JAAC had no internal plan for governance delivery and that is why they kept on making demands to us, which created chaos in the AJK territory. This is why we had to crush them before integrating this territory into Pakistan.

That is not a reflection of reality in AJK or its people's aspirations & reservations. Let us not play into the hands of the aggressively deceitful Pakistani State.

JKA PUBLIC AGENCY Note: #EJAAC081426072026

....

Later in the day, the supposed 2nd phase of elections in (Muzaffarabad division) AJK looked quite like the following in a practical sense:

....

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 156 of 2026

1152hrs:

Well, it is now confirmed that the 9 of June has arrived 4 days early! Earlier today, paramilitary forces from Pakistan have already begun entering our territory to destroy the prevailing peaceful atmosphere of dialogue and an election schedule has also been announced a short while ago, without fulfilling the conditions set by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee on the 31st of March 2026.

External forces entering the city of Kotli this morning, without legal or democratic reference

....

Given the nature of how matters are rapidly evolving in our territory, I will provide an embed of this morning's FaceBook Live video (Urdu podcast) just in case....

Preceded by the title & intro as follows:

#Subject2CitizenJourneyDay7718

#NoElectionAJK2026

#RightsMovementAJK

#Right2RuleJKA

ایک مستقل پُرامن ماحول کو بار بار پُر تشدد بنانے کی قیمت اب آج 5 جون 2026 سے 10 ارب (بلین) یو کے پاؤنڈز فی کس (فی شخص) ہوگئی ہے۔

کیا یہ قیمت پاکستان ادا کر سکتا ہے؟

اگر نہیں تو وہ کسی بھی شکل کے سیکیورٹی اہلکار - چاہے وہ 14 ہوں یا 14,000 - یہاں آزاد جموں و کشمیر کی دھرتی میں داخل کرانے سے گریز کرے

!

جہاں آپ کے دلائل ختم ہوتے ہیں وہاں آپ کو دباؤ ڈالنے کی اب اجازت نہیں دی جا سکتی۔

آپ کی 78 سال سے خودساختہ اور خود سے تفویض کی ہوئی اس دھرتی اور لوگ (بشمول آزاد جموں و کشمیر اور گلگت بلتستان) کی ذمہ داری اس 5 جون 2026 کو ہی ایک تاریخی مفروضے کے طور پر ماضی کا حصہ بن جائے گی۔

ہمیں ہمارے ہم وطن (جموں کشمیر اور متحدہ علاقہ جات کے شہری) جو آپ کی فوج اور ایجنسیز میں ڈیوٹی دیتے ہیں، ان کو آپ واپس کریں تاکہ ہم جائزہ لے سکیں کہ ان میں سے کتنے یہاں (اپنی اصل آئینی اور قانونی دھرتی) کے امن کو برقرار رکھ سکتے ہیں۔

#SecurityJKA

#ColonialNetConnectivity

#BetweenAJKandUnitedKingdom

#BetweenAJKandPakistan

An unremitting 21 year journey from Subject to Citizen, from very personal to very public.

موضوع سے شہری تک کا ایک مسلسل 21 سالہ سفر، انتہائی ذاتی سے انتہائی عوامی تک۔۔

....

From the earlier hours of this morning, it was confirmed that the Pakistanis are going ahead to disrupt the peace. Here's a note preceded by the government circular communication between the Inspector General of Police (A Pakistani) and the Chief Secretary (another Pakistani):

On the 4th of June 2026, a day after the #UK government was forewarned of imminent external aggression in #AJK , a circular appearing to be sent by the Inspector General of Police (a Pakistani) of AJK police, writing to the Chief Secretary (a Pakistani) heading the AJK government/administration (both remnants of a prevailing colonial structure), that 'we' (the coloniser) need 14,000 security personnel to be hurriedly ushered to AJK to maintain the 'peace'. 

This is in direct contradiction of what the AJK 'prime minister' (a local) has taken pains to repeatedly assure the public, that no force or coercion will be used to prevent peaceful mass public mobilisation in the territory. 

This is daylight planning to inject aggression into a locally sustained peaceful environment, practiced with resolve for 3 years - where 2 way dialogue 'mukaalima' is developing as a culture & strategy - to peacefully erase the cause of conflict in our territory.

Another needless reactionary spate of killings has to be averted! 

#RightsMovementAJK

#JAAC

#BetweenAJKandPakistan

#Conflict2PeaceStrategyJKA

JKA PUBLIC AGENCY Note: #EAJKGVT024005062026 

....

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 153 of 2026

1022hrs:

Sleeping earlier and waking earlier with incremental improvements every day is the optimum strategy.

There's a lot going on in our territory and our direct occupiers (the Pakistani State) seem to be spiralling back to their old tactics of trying to force circumstances in their favour. This is a foolish strategy which may have worked pre 2023 but is doomed to fail in the current scenario, where each and every village of AJK is determined to continue incrementally obtaining the basic rights they have been deprived of since 1947, with strong back up from our diaspora (especially in the UK).

....  

Haroon Shamsi vs. The State of Pakistan

The above named gentleman is an aspiring State citizen of Jammu Kashmir & Allied (areas), living in the village of Mohra Dhruti in tehsil Nikyaal, adjacent to the LOC. He has recently been harassed by a Pakistani clandestine operative, who goes by the name of 'Kamran' and is apparently deputed to that region. The grounds of this harassment are a couple of short WhatsApp notes on the subject of 12 refugee seats in Pakistan devoted to the AJK Assembly, ostensibly to provide political & administrative representation to those 'Muslims' of the State who had to flee from the other side of JKA post 1947, which are under the microscope as the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JK JAAC) is adamant that they are an unnecessary burden on the government in AJK, that they have nothing to do with the 'Kashmir Question' and they do not adhere to the mutual rights & responsibilities needed for taxation & representation.

Like thousands of other aspiring co-citizens of AJK Haroon Shamsi has also expressed his views in a couple of short messages via WhatsApp. The text (plus English translation) will be presented here followed by the threatening audio sent by this 'agency operative' to Haroon Shamsi.

Message No 1 of 2:

1947

سے 1974 تک یعنی 27 سال تک مہاجرین کی 12 نشستیں موجود نہیں تھیں پھر بھی مسئلہ کشمیر زندہ تھا۔

1974

سے 2026 تک یہ نشستیں موجود ہیں تو کیا اس دوران مسئلہ کشمیر حل ہو گیا؟

حقیقت یہ ہے کہ ان نشستوں کے ہونے یا نہ ہونے سے مسئلہ کشمیر کی حیثیت میں کوئی بنیادی تبدیلی نہیں آئی۔ البتہ ان نشستوں نے سیاسی انجینئرنگ اقتدار کے توازن پر اثراندازی اور مخصوص طبقات کو نوازنے کا ذریعہ ضرور فراہم کیا۔

اگر ان نشستوں کا مقصد مسئلہ کشمیر کو اجاگر کرنا تھا تو نصف صدی سے زائد عرصہ گزرنے کے باوجود اس کا کوئی عملی نتیجہ سامنے نہیں آیا۔

لہٰذا وقت آ گیا ہے کہ مہاجرین کی 12 نشستوں کو ختم کیا جائے ۔

یہ بارہ نشستیں صرف سیاسی جوڑ توڑ کے لیے رکھی گئی ہیں۔ مسلہ کشمیر سے انکا کوئی تعلق نہیں ۔ 

English translation:

From 1947 to 1974 (that is 27 years) there weren't 12 (Legislative Assembly) seats reserved for refugees, yet the 'Kashmir Issue' remained alive.

From 1974 to 2026 these (12 refugee seats) have existed. In this period, has the 'Kashmir Issue' been resolved?

In actual fact, whether or not these (12 refugee) seats exist hasn't made any fundamental difference to the status of the 'Kashmir Issue'. However, these seats have certainly enabled opportunity for political engineering, affected the balance of power (in the Assembly) and provided favour (or reward) to certain (specific) interest groups. 

If the purpose of these seats was to raise awareness about the Kashmir Issue then despite over half a century elapsing, no practical result has ever emerged.

Thus, the time has come to terminate these 12 seats for refugees.

These 12 seats have only been used (kept) to make or break political alliances. They have no significance in relation the 'Kashmir Issue'.

Message No 2 of 2:

اگرپاکستان کےحکمرانوں کوکشمیری مہاجرین سےاتناہی پیارھےتو انکوپاکستان کی اسمبلی میں 12نشستیں دےدیں ۔  ویسےبھی وہ رہتے توپاکستان میں ھیں، انکاآذادکشمیرکےمعاملات سےکیالینادینا؟ 

English translation:

If Pakistan's ruling elite have so much love & affection for Kashmiri refugees, then they should give them 12 seats in Pakistan's National (Legislative) Assembly. After all, they do live in Pakistan. What concerns do they have (share) with matters in Azad Kashmir?

End of text messages and translations..

..

Now, let's listen to the Pakistani clandestine agency operative's audio response to these innocuous text messages on WhatsApp:

Here's this operative 'Kamran's phone number: 0309 9297123

I have referenced this issue in today's daily FaceBook Live video podcast, which can be accessed here. It should be remembered that such threats are rife throughout AJK & GB (as well as in Indian-controlled Jammu Kashmir & Ladakh), which solidifies the allegation that India & Pakistan's 'ground forces' in the territory of JKA devote most resources and manpower in trying to control the public narrative on either side, in favour of their respective countries.

Update: 0232hrs (03/06/2026)

Inevitably, certain alarm bells rang in response to the post above, asking for it to be deleted! 

Well, nothing of public interest has ever been deleted before, despite similar requests over the past 2 decades. Once the arrow has left the bow, there is nothing stopping it!

These tactics are ridiculously out-dated.

....

کسی نے پوچھا مکالمہ کیا ہے؟

میں نے جواب دیا

ڈائیلاگ - دلائل - تحقیق - تحریر

جموں کشمیر کی تقدیر کا فیصلہ یہاں کے لوگوں کی تدبیر سے ہونا چاہیے....

اور اس کے لیے مکالمہ کا راستہ ماہانہ، وہ وقت کی ضرورت ہے....بہت بہت شکریہ۔

 JKA PUBLIC AGENCY Note: #U214702062026 

....

Since we are on the topic of 12 refugee seats, here's an opinion piece by Shams Rehman:

# Refugee Seats: Representation or Political Intervention?

**By Shams Rehman**

The most common argument made in favour of the seats reserved in the Azad Kashmir Assembly for Kashmiri refugees settled in Pakistan is that these seats are linked to the Kashmir question and to the political identity of displaced Kashmiris living in Pakistan. It is argued that if these seats are abolished, a symbolic connection with the Kashmir dispute will be weakened and the political identity of the refugees will be undermined.

At first sight, this argument appears emotional and important. But its practical implications also need to be examined. If the purpose is only to preserve identity, symbolic representation and a political connection with the Kashmir question, then it is not necessary to give these seats a full political and governmental role in the Azad Kashmir Assembly. A better, clearer and more limited form of symbolic representation can be devised for that purpose.

For example, refugee representation could be arranged on the pattern of technical or professional representation. Alternatively, a small number of symbolic seats could be retained whose purpose is limited to consultation, identity and the expression of historical association with the Kashmir question. A separate representative forum could also be created where Kashmiri refugees settled in Pakistan may present their views, issues and political position. But they should not have a decisive role in the making or breaking of governments in Azad Kashmir, nor in the formation of ministries, budgetary allocations or Assembly majorities.

Some commentators and analysts are also trying to create the impression that the Joint Awami Action Committee does not see the corruption of those Assembly members who are elected from within the territorial limits of Azad Kashmir. In my view, this objection is misplaced. The truth is that this entire public movement has emerged precisely against corruption, clan-based politics, misuse of authority, politics of privileges and an anti-people style of governance. Therefore, turning this debate into “Kashmiri refugees settled in Pakistan versus the people of Azad Kashmir” is neither correct nor constructive.

The real question is not about insulting any community or population. The real question is about the principle of representation. If representatives elected from within Azad Kashmir are corrupt, the people can directly hold them accountable. They can protest against them. They can reject them in elections. But the refugee constituencies based in Pakistan are outside the geographical, administrative and public sphere of Azad Kashmir. Yet they continue to play a decisive role in the formation of the Azad Kashmir government, in ministries and in the distribution of public resources. That is the fundamental issue.

There is another important aspect of this debate. Refugees from Indian-administered Kashmir also live inside Azad Kashmir. The question is: who represents them? If these refugees are living within Azad Kashmir and are part of the same society, economy, administrative system and public problems, then their representation takes place through the local constituencies of Azad Kashmir. They vote in the areas where they live, they are part of the same political system, and they are directly affected by the policies of the same government. By contrast, the refugee constituencies based in Pakistan are not part of the everyday administrative sphere of Azad Kashmir.

The basic question is this: what is the practical jurisdiction of the Azad Kashmir Assembly? Constitutionally and politically, it is often viewed in the wider context of the entire state of Jammu and Kashmir. But in practical terms, this Assembly governs only the areas administered as Azad Kashmir. Its budget, administration, development schemes, government departments, local bodies, education, health, roads and day-to-day governance are directly related to the people living in Azad Kashmir. Refugee constituencies based in Pakistan are not part of this practical administrative framework.

For this reason, giving these seats decisive power in the formation of the Azad Kashmir government is neither democratically justified nor administratively reasonable. Identity and symbolic connection have their own importance, but they cannot be used to weaken the right of representation of the people of Azad Kashmir.

At this stage, the Joint Awami Action Committee should also reconsider its position of complete abolition. If a clear, limited and dignified formula of symbolic representation can be developed to preserve the Kashmir question, refugee identity and historical connection, it can be accepted in principle. The strength of people’s movements does not lie only in taking rigid positions. It also lies in proposing fair and workable solutions that protect the people’s right to self-governance while also respecting sensitive historical identities.

Similarly, the government side must abandon its delaying tactics regarding the implementation of the Muzaffarabad Agreement and electoral reforms. If the government genuinely wants to prevent the situation from moving towards confrontation, it must show seriousness, transparency and immediate practical action. Continuous delays, vague statements and time-buying politics do not reduce public anxiety; they deepen it.

The better way forward is to preserve the Kashmiri identity of the refugees, their historical status and their connection with the Kashmir question, while limiting these seats to symbolic, consultative or specific representation. This would neither break the link with the Kashmir issue, nor erase refugee identity, nor allow external constituencies to continue influencing the public mandate inside Azad Kashmir.

Let the Azad Kashmir Assembly deal with the problems of the people of Azad Kashmir. Let refugee representation be given a dignified but limited symbolic form. The Action Committee should seriously consider a workable middle path, and the government must implement agreements and reforms instead of allowing the situation to deteriorate further. 

This path is democratic, just, practical, and much closer to the real spirit of the Kashmir question.

#RightsMovementAJK 

#AzadKashmir 

#jammukashmir 

#Mirpur

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My comment in response to the article above:

12 refugee seats and representation vis a vis 'The Kashmir Question' is a charade, not least as in practical terms every political leader from Sheikh Abdullah & Mufti Sayeed to Sardar Ibrahim & K H Khurshid were actively prevented from representing the interests of their State.

If these local leaders had little representation, what representation do the local people within the State think they are getting, let alone those living for decades and across generations in Pakistani Punjab or Indian Rajasthan?

Most of us are analysing our current predicament on the basis of well designed obfuscation by the British since 1947. Thus, self serving assumptions taught to India & Pakistan to befool the people of JKA have been considered as some kind of 'Authority' devolved to these countries by the United Nations, when in reality no such devolution occurred. We have been tricked to replace demilitarisation with devolution.

As far as the Pakistan Establishment is concerned, there is ample evidence to suggest that they are not inclined to obey public will or cater to public interest in AJK. Their country has not been designed for such a benign purpose.

In the words of the late Abdul Majeed Malik (X CJ of AJK High Court) Pakistan needs to concentrate on demilitarisation as advised by the UN, not falsely assume that they have some sort of responsibility in AJK (& GB), which even if they wanted to, they could not fulfil.

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