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Showing posts with label Municipality. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Municipality. Show all posts

Monday, 2 February 2026

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 33 of 2026

1556hrs:

This morning I managed to wake up at 0800hrs, slightly better than the average waking up time (viz. 0900hrs) achieved over the past week. There's still a wide gap of 5 hours and I better get better at this.

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We had our first meeting with the baldiya (municipality) of Sehnsa today, as part of discussions towards framing a model contract between the public of Sehnsa & the local municipality. Details will be logged here in due course.

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We also had our first meeting with a male representative of the 'Changar' epidemic harming the social fabric of AJK. We have given them a deadline of Friday the 6th of February, to finalise details of their absolute departure from the territory of AJK.

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Meanwhile, I'm now preparing for another trip down South.

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Public Finance Update:

Number of co-citizens who have paid their share (over 20 years): 
16
Number of co-citizens who have paid a portion to date, since direct public funding began in 2012:
208
Number of co-citizens who have promised to pay:
85
Number of co-citizens I have directly contacted since the 9th of October 2025 (of total 5,000):
537

Cash in Hand: 51,000
Cash Deposits: 2,62,317
Immediate Debts: 0 

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Tuesday, 9 January 2024

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 9 of 2024

2023hrs:

My targeted optimum rest of 6 hours between midnight and 0600hrs took a dive today as I didn't get to sleep till 0630hrs and 'grudgingly' woke up at 1130hrs to attend to our daily chores today. Discussions with my guests continued late into the night which included an early morning breakfast meal at a 24 hour restaurant in our tehsil.

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Tuesday mornings have emerged as our regular weekly interaction with the local administration in tehsil Sehnsa, who represent the AJK government.

We progressed well with the 'Alms Department' and the local municipal town committee but we encountered a very uncomfortable if not downright rude Assistant Commissioner. Some details have been described in Pahaari, in the video below:


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Sunday, 27 November 2022

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 331 of 2022

1054hrs:

Day 175 at Maqbool Bhat Shaheed Square - Dadyaal.

0757hrs

Attendance = 100%
Punctuality = 63%
111 days on time or early of 175
Punctuality surplus = 15 minutes 
Punctuality Consistency Status = 7 days

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We're into our 3rd week of a weekly live transmission on JKTV, providing an update of the status of public affairs in our territory:


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Today we're witnessing local (municipal) elections in AJK for the first time in 31 years. Polling is being conducted in a phased manner - division by division - beginning with Muzaffarabad division today. 

Khurshid Uz Zaman Abbasi Sb has been kind enough to invite me to this marathon transmission today, broadcasting live from Washington USA: 


You can access the programme from this link too.

I took part in the discussion at 2:48:10 

I spoke in 2 batches before my connectivity totally gave way at around 3:27:00

From 3:01:40 to 3:08:30 and 3:11:29 to 3:19:25

Many thanks to former chief justice of the AJK supreme court Syed Manzoor Gillani and senior journalists Syed Tassaduq Hussain (living in Calgary, Canada and candidate for local elections there) & Ibrahim Gul (former PTV director for AJK and now living in South Korea) for their kind words too.

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My take on concerns about human rights in Qatar, given the attention received in the wake of the World Cup being hosted there:

Most global human rights groups are of the view that the World Cup being held in Qatar is a means to open engagement on all those issues that are regional in some respects and global in others. Qatar has a global media channel and wants to excel in hosting discussion on some of the most uncomfortable problems of the world. It has brought something into existence that didn't exist before. Global spotlight.

Furthermore..



Morality and Legality. 

Power and Principles.

Who can exercise what?

In our #PublicPolicyAJK approach to conflict resolution in the region we have understood that the public of JKA - without exception - have been denied  their right to exercise freedom of assembly, association, expression, movement and recourse to law including international law.

We include all our politicians and all claimants to nobility in this territory, as victims of this very well structured militarised governance module.

We apparently had no democratic, ethical, legal or peaceful outlet/forum to address our concerns.

But we do. 

What do our own legal experts say?

What would be the legal perspective of our 4 neighbours:

1) Afghanistan
2) China
3) India
4) Pakistan

AJK Public Agency Note: #194527112022

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Tuesday, 18 October 2022

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 291 of 2022

0959hrs:

Day 135 at Maqbool Bhat Shaheed Square - Dadyaal.

0756hrs

My punctuality surplus has increased to 25 minutes.

Punctuality percentage: 80 days on time or early of 135 = 59% punctual.

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We felt dutybound to make a video today because the local municipality has come into action at the Square this morning. They emptied out the burned remains (ashes) of the waste that I had been depositing in the bin and had been burning for the past few weeks. They cut the overgrown grass and plucked out unnecessary weeds. They also confronted the human faeces dumped here over the past few days. 

I always maintain that if the government does anything positive, that is equally noteworthy. If the Dadyaal municipality undertakes such a task even once a week, we will consider that a significant achievement:
 

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Thursday, 25 August 2022

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 237 of 2022

1406hrs:

Day 81 at Maqbool Bhat Shaheed Square - Dadyaal.

0820hrs

My punctuality deficit has increased to 234 minutes.

Punctuality percentage: 43 days late of 81 = 53% late

Damn! Another late day today.

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Finally, it appears Asmaad Aslam of Tithrinote on the LOC in Hajeera will be home soon:

I felt it necessary to input the following comment at the petition website cited above:

I think this is a major achievement on the part of Indian civil society. Congratulations.

At this stage we will forego the description of him as a Pakistani, which he legally and constitutionally isn't. Nevertheless, pursuing his release tirelessly is a significant gesture of goodwill, on the part of Rahul Kapoor in particular.

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Today was also 'Meeting the AC' day. Regular followers of this weblog will know that we like to keep our local administration and municipality engaged with all developments at Maqbool Bhat Martyr's Square. The following letter explains to the Assistant Commissioner (AC) that even at this late stage of the gardening season we would still like the administration and municipality to play a part in financing the beautification of the Square. They are always welcome to aid us in cleaning and gardening too.

Here's the latest written communication: 



Note that the last time we communicated was on August the 3rd. That was the 4th time since we began communicating on the 15th of June. Hence, the above is communication exhibit number 5.

However, the AC 'explained' that the municipality doesn't have any money and that we are welcome to do whatever is necessary to beautify the Square. We have promptly forwarded his written remarks to the municipality.

In the meantime, the president of the trader's association in Dadyaal, namely Anwar Daar has assured us that he will obtain a written MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) from the AC. Meanwhile, he suggests that we continue public funding to pay for the metal grills that we need to fortify the Square from animals.

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Wednesday, 24 November 2021

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 328 of 2021

1751hrs:

A day out amongst the public of Dadyaal. Love, smiles and appreciation galore. 

On the other hand, a trip around Maqbool Bhat Shaheed Square left an angry impression on my mind. The square is in a state of neglect. There is litter and animal faeces everywhere. The monument in the middle of the square is also in decay. Some of the floor tiles are broken and some of the stone on the walls has been chipped off. So much for the Secretary of the Municipality stressing in court that this is State property. 

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Tuesday, 19 May 2020

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 140 of 2020

2336hrs:

Flowing with the tide.....

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Here's an impromptu discussion with Municipal Administrator Dadyaal Choudhary Aftab Ahmed Khan at Maqbool Bhat Shaheed Square, on bringing this city's infrastructure on a par with the most developed cities in the world.



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Now, this is my kind of discussion:



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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 278 of 2026

1239hrs: Day 123 had a rhythm to it and a pattern. Most of AJK (including most of its entry points from the State of Pakistan) have been shu...