Daily Diary (DD) - Day 114 of 2022

2226hrs:

Day 24 - District (Kotli) wide tour as part of Internal Political Process - AJK

Updated stats of completed interviews of tribal politicians/political workers: 52 of 60

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We are almost where we want to be.

Marking out a journey from thousands of years of tribalism/feudalism to one of the most advanced direct democracies in the world isn't exactly easy but it isn't as hard as most of us imagine.

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 112 of 2022

0149hrs:

It's almost always good to be ahead of the game....

Day 22 - District (Kotli) wide tour as part of Internal Political Process - AJK

Updated stats of completed interviews of tribal politicians/political workers: 50 of 60

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This is almost a bolt from the blue in AJK:

US Congresswoman Visits Pakistani Part of Disputed Kashmir, Draws India's Ire https://t.co/Hagl0A30be A thought-provoking development. You can read my thoughts in today's diary @ https://t.co/DMXMKPMIkB

— Tanveer Ahmed (@sahaafi) April 21, 2022

That's encouraging and insightful to read. Her assessment about India is factual and JKA is not a matter of sovereignty for India, rather the inhabitants of JKA hold that title which India, Pakistan, China, the UK and her own adopted country are preventing them from exercising since 1947.

She should also understand that she visited the capital of AJK, a lawless territory whose administration denies fundamental rights to its aspiring citizens; to the extent that exercising sovereignty despite being dubbed 'Azad' (Free) is considered treason.

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 110 of 2022

2244hrs:

Day 20 - District (Kotli) wide tour as part of Internal Political Process - AJK

Updated stats of completed interviews of tribal politicians/political workers: 46 of 60

We are edging ahead after yesterday's sticky patch...hopefully we shall motor on tomorrow.

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 107 of 2022

0430hrs:

Day 17 - District (Kotli) wide tour as part of Internal Political Process - AJK

Updated stats of completed interviews of tribal politicians/political workers: 43 of 60

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As we are into the 'home run' of this district wide tour, careful measurement is required to ensure the representative status of political workers throughout the district is reflected, in our choices of who to interview.

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 100 of 2022

1757hrs:

Day 13 - District (Kotli) wide tour as part of Internal Political Process - AJK

Updated stats of completed interviews of tribal politicians/political workers: 33 of 60 

Note: Have proceeded beyond the 50% threshold....

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Our people are so frightened of each other's propensity to sell themselves short.

That has been our history, it is our present but we cannot afford for it to be our future, under any circumstances whatsoever.

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It's always heartening to see locals take the initiative:

An Internal Political Process in AJK
Phase 1 - district Kotli
Day 13 - in tehsil Khuiratta 10/04/2022

Since 1947, what we've demanded others to do on our behalf, we must do ourselves, if we want to survive and flourish. pic.twitter.com/IymtPyIwRV

— Tanveer Ahmed (@sahaafi) April 13, 2022

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Later in the evening we ventured out to Kajrullah on the outskirts of Khuiratta to meet veteran freedom fighter Quayyum Raja: 

Subjects discussed in this detailed conversation were:

1) An internal political process in AJK

2) Babu Singh of Kathua, Jammu and his mysterious disappearance amidst an apparent Indian sting operation and a demand for him to be given an opportunity to present his version of developments in public.

3) The role of Britain and its colonial legacy.

4) Remedies and our role as the public of JKA as sovereign entity, both at home and in the diaspora (particularly the UK).

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 98 of 2022

0949hrs:

Day 11 - District (Kotli) wide tour as part of Internal Political Process - AJK

Updated stats of completed interviews of tribal politicians/political workers: 27 of 60 

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As I arrived here (in my motherland) in April 2005 and we have reached the 17th April since then - without a break - this is inevitably a month of milestones. 

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In Dabsi, reference my public will. Sprightly 92 year old politician Molvi Laal Muhammad Baaniya made my day. Ventured into Mendhar momentarily too, albeit in spirit only.

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 97 of 2022

1114hrs:

Day 10 - District (Kotli) wide tour as part of Internal Political Process - AJK

Updated stats of completed interviews of tribal politicians/political workers: 25 of 60 

Note: Edging closer to half our target....

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 96 of 2022

0505hrs:

Day 9 - District (Kotli) wide tour as part of Internal Political Process - AJK

Updated stats of completed interviews of tribal politicians/political workers: 22 of 60 

Remains static despite much manoeuvres.  

Encouraging most of all is that we are now a 4 member team comprising of 4 different tribes. We even have scope to include the other 2 (Sayed and Malik) too but our mode of transport will not be able to accommodate us all. It will also be difficult for our forthcoming hosts to accommodate us all too.

We do need to develop that capacity though, so that representation in activism is evenly balanced.

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