1138hrs:
Dadyaal can be intensely hot in the summer but we were welcomed early this morning by a healthy burst of rain, just as we completed a family holiday which ultimately took us between Kel in the upper regions of the Neelam Valley and Dadyaal tehsil in district Mirpur. A journey which began in the afternoon of the 17th of June (Day 168 of 2019) whereby our first stop was Devi Gali in Poonch and ended in the initial hours of the 13th of July (Day 194 of 2019). That is where we are today.
Our water springs sprouting out of the multitude of mountains on our journey kept us fresh throughout. Hospitality throughout was as special as it was spontaneous, as always.
Check out how Pakistan centric this map is compared to the internal 'Riyasati' journey we've always adopted since that event in 2011:
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| The internal journey amounts to less than 300 kilometres |
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An essential part of the missing narrative on Kargil 1999:
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Remaining in the Northern province of Gilgit Ladakh in the erstwhile State of Jammu & Kashmir, here's an open letter from Shafqat Inqalabi to his co-citizens in AJK, the Valley of Kashmir and Jammu:
An Open Letter from Gilgit Baltistan to the Leadership of the Freedom Seeking Parties/Organisations of Jammu & Kashmir
1) Mr. Liaqat Hayat - President - JKNAP
(Jammu Kashmir National Awaami Party)
2) Mr. Zulfiqar Ahmed - Chairman - JKPNP
(Jammu Kashmir People's National Party)
3) Mr. Sagheer Khan - Head (of faction) - JKLF
(Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front)
4) Mr. Toqeer Gilani - President (of faction) - JKLF
(Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front)
5) Mr. Yasir Younis - President (of faction) - JKNSF
(Jammu Kashmir National Student's Federation)
6) Mr. Abbas Butt - President - KNP
(Kashmir National Party)
7) Mr. Shaukat Ali Kashmiri - Chairman - UKPNP
(United Kashmir People's National Party)
8) Mr. Mahmood Kashmiri - Chairman - JKNIA
(Jammu Kashmir National Independence Alliance)
9) Dr. Nazir Gilani - JKCHR
(Jammu Kashmir Council for Human Rights)
10) Mr. Hashim Qureshi - JKDLP Srinagar
(Jammu Kashmir Democratic Liberation Party)
11) Mr. President - Sarworajya Revolutionary Party
12) Dr. Karan Singh - Descendant of the State's Inheritor Hari Singh - currently residing in Delhi.
13) Professor Bhim Singh - Jammu Kashmir Panther's Party
14) Professor Nazir ul Haq Nazish - UK
15) Dr. Shabir Choudhary - UK
16) Professor Sajjad Raja - UK
17) Mr. Shaukat Maqbool Bhat - UK
18) Professor Zafar Khan - UK
19) Dr. Amjad Ayub Mirza - Tehreek Ittefaq e Rai
20) Mr. Sabir Kashmiri Advocate - Chairman (of faction)
JKLF - Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front
21) Mr. President - Supreme Court Bar Association - AJK
22) Mr. President - High Court Bar Association - AJK
23) Mr. President - District Bar Associations - AJK
24) Retired Justice Majeed Malik - Mirpur
25) Mr. Azeem Dutt Advocate - Mahaaz e Rai Shumari
26) Mr. Nasir Ansari Advocate
Assalaam-u-alaikum
I hope to find you all in good health. My dear noble friends, I wish to bring to your attention a very important matter related to Gilgit Baltistan (GB) through this open letter. I am hopeful that you will provide serious attention to the written requests contained in this letter and fulfill your national obligations.
This matter is not confined to (the territory of) GB but is in fact directly connected to the erstwhile State of Jammu & Kashmir and its (assumed) disputed status. On account of the natural routes of the territory of Jammu & Kashmir being deliberately restricted, it is difficult to transmit news of events occurring in one part of the (erstwhile State) to other parts (of the State).
Now, I wish to turn your attention towards an issue of utmost importance. In 1947, when the State of Jammu & Kashmir was divided into 3 (parts), whereupon after the ceasefire and UN (United Nations) involvement, the 3rd Northern province of Gilgit Ladakh was split in 2, of which an area of c.28,000 square miles was separated from Muzaffarabad and Srinagar upon coming under the control of Pakistan.
Be it UN resolutions, the Karachi Agreement (28/04/1949), the constitution of Pakistan, the judgements of Pakistan's apex courts or the freedom seeking organisations of Jammu & Kashmir and even according to the viewpoint of those political parties (in AJK) committed to accession with Pakistan; the current (territory) of Gilgit Baltistan is a compelling part of the State of Jammu & Kashmir. Pakistan's status here is that of a (an assumed) supervisor and it has no right to change the borders (of this territory).
In contrast to Pakistani and Indian controlled Jammu & Kashmir, (the territory of) Gilgit Baltistan has endured various changes (in its geographic structure). C. 2,000 square miles of the territory was given - in the interim - to China (as part of the Sino-Pakistan Agreement in 1963). The State Subject Rule of Jammu & Kashmir (20/04/1927) has (practically) been laid dormant.
What has happened has happened.
Yet another dangerous game has been played. This game involves the adjacent borders (of GB) with KPK (Khyber Pakhtoon Khwa - a province in Pakistan) which meet the State (of Jammu & Kashmir)'s borders at various geographic points. For the past 71 years, KPK has been subtly encroaching into our State.
At the first instance, interference took place in the district of Diamer (as occupation of the land) beyond Basha (in KPK) reached Basri. From where (efffectively the Pakistani State) successfully encroached up to 30 kilometres into (GB) territory. If this area had remained with us (GB), then KPK would not even have a claim on Diamer Basha dam at all.
In the second stage, the area of Chitral in KPK which is adjacent to district Ghizer (in GB) encroached into the latter area where the historic polo ground of Shandur is situated. Here, the Chitral scouts with the help of FC (Frontier Constabulary of Pakistan) occupied this ground. Shandur boasts the world's highest polo ground and tourist resort. This area is the State of Jammu & Kashmir's 3rd Northern province's historic part, whose (geographic) boundaries were (mutually) agreed upon (and settled) by Maharajah Hari Singh and the English governor of the Frontier province (modern day KPK).
After achieving total success in capturing these 2 aforementioned areas, KPK has initiated an attempt to capture the most important part of district Ghizer, which is in close proximity to the borders of Afghanistan and Tajikistan and where the lake and glacier of Kurumber is situated. The 3rd world war is anticipated to be over (fresh) water sources and our largest source of water is in this very Kurumber.
My request to you noble fellows through this letter, is to discuss this illegal action within the general assemblies of your parties/organisations and raise your voice in local, national and international forums against this forced occupation by KPK upon various important parts of the State (of Jammu & Kashmir).
A province of Pakistan on the basis of brute force is encroaching within the borders of the disputed State, I urge you to make the international community aware (of the situation) and realise your national obligations in doing so. Also, make this case a part of your ongoing party/organisational campaigns.
I am fully hopeful that my noble friends will treat this subject with the seriousness that it deserves.
I thank you all.
Protecting our borders is protecting our State.
Yours in healthy anticipation
Shafqat Ali Inqalabi
Resident
Northern Province (Gilgit-Ladakh)
13th July 2019
end of letter.........
Copies to:
United Nations
Foreign Office - Government of Pakistan
Prime Minister - AJK
Opposition Leader - AJK LA
Chief Minister (Governor) - Indian-controlled Kashmir
Chief Minister - Gilgit Baltistan
Opposition Leader - GB LA
Chief Justice - Supreme Court of Pakistan
Chief Justice - Supreme Court AJK
Chief Judge - Supreme Appellate Court GB
Chief Justice - High Court Muzaffarabad AJK
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This is an interesting angle and helps us balance much of our views about our neighbourhood vis a vis the rest of the world:
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