Daily Diary (DD) - Day 128 of 2024

2329hrs:

Fared today similar to yesterday viz. midnight to 1000hrs....thus I need to work out what is preventing me from waking at 0500hrs as I was doing not long ago.

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Worth knowing:

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The first sign of solidarity for #RightsMovementAJK from across the LOC and from a Kashmiri Pandit no less:

Where there is a plan for #Peace it should be embraced & where there is a plan for #Conflict it should be disgraced.

By all thinking humans irrespective of where they live in the world or what ideology they follow. #RightsMovementAJK#Conflict2PeaceInvitationLetterAJK https://t.co/tILLxsZ6oZ

— Tanveer Ahmed (@sahaafi) May 7, 2024

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 334 of 2023

2322hrs:

We have our own 'Red Lines'. They are:

1) Geopolitical neutrality

2) The people's reference to design public policy in AJK

3)  Ecological concerns of the territory

4) Religious/ideological harmony and co-existence

These are part of Article 3 (Non-negotiables) of #AJKAgenda2023 

Many thanks to CNN News 18 for the coverage below:

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 323 of 2023

2018hrs:

It was a beautiful evening in Sharda yesterday, followed by a beautiful night and an even more beautiful day today, where all our objectives were fulfilled. Will describe details in due course.

All that beauty was nevertheless tarnished by ugly encroachment whereby a whole boundary wall to the right of the Peeth had vanished while a Pakistani 'military' cafe was being constructed on the wall to the left!

Footage can be seen in the following videos:

  

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We retained our composure to conduct our next task:

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This was followed by our next and final task we took upon ourselves on this particular visit to Sharda:

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 266 of 2023

1847hrs:

Another big leap for humanity today!

I left home in Sehnsa at c. 0015hrs this morning and travelled through the night to try and get to Teetwaal at 1000hrs in the morning to witness Sharda Divas (Day) which fell on today's date this year.

My compatriots and I were delayed for over an hour at the gateway to Neelam Valley check post, which prevented us making direct contact with our fellow compatriots across the LOC. 

Hazards to peace can lurk anywhere.

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#Peacemaking in all directions from #Chelhana sur la #Kishenganga between #NeelamValley & #Kupwara facing each other across the #LOC on #23092023#ReligiousHarmony > #Peace #WhiteFlags > #KnowledgeBase #Sharda >
Top 20 Global #Economy pic.twitter.com/JU33yhqXAj

— Tanveer Ahmed (@sahaafi) September 23, 2023

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 98 of 2023

2350hrs:

Motoring on but the tragedy at Maqbool Bhat Martyr's Square in Dadyaal is unfolding. What we repaired in 297 days has been almost overturned in 10 days.

297 days of good defeated by 10 days of bad.

Further examples below:

..

 

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Many thanks to Ravinder Pandita for highlighting these notes. I think it is ultimately a battle between positive and negative forces. Between enlightenment and doom. Returning the knowledge of the world to this territory or taking away what little remains here.

#ShardaCorridor2023

Well articulated ! Civil society on both sides of LoC needs to view cross LoC heritage and religious tourism in proper perspective 🍁 pic.twitter.com/O6VRlJdFQw

— Ravinder Pandita(Save Sharda) (@panditaAPMCC63) April 7, 2023

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 83 of 2023

2347hrs:

Day 292 at Maqbool Bhat Shaheed Square - Dadyaal.

0804hrs

Attendance = 100% 

Punctuality = 71%

206 days on time or early of 292 (1 absence)

Punctuality surplus = 826 minutes 

Punctuality Consistency Status = 0 days

Note: Late for the 86th time in 291 days (plus 1 absence for public interest compulsions in Teetwaal)

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Encouraging coverage by Daily Gadyal once again:

Kashmir Writers Association demands opening of Sharda Peeth in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir during impressive event at Sharda Temple inauguration - https://t.co/AJa46BwYxT...

— Daily Gadyal (@dailygadyal) March 24, 2023

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 40 of 2022

0159hrs:

Day 21 at Martyr's Square Kotli

Let's begin today by sparing a thought for the other side of the LOC. Indeed, the other side of the proverbial coin:

Release Kashmiri Journalist Fahad Shah Immediately. - Sign the Petition! https://t.co/blaZHl7vEz via @Change I know what he's going through. We can't let #India r #Pakistan take such liberties with our people. Especially those who amplify the 'public reference' promised but never

— Tanveer Ahmed (@sahaafi) February 8, 2022

Let me complete the sentence with the liberty that Twitter strategically doesn't offer.

I know what he's going through. We can't let #India or #Pakistan take such liberties with our people. Especially those who amplify the 'public reference': promised but never delivered by the above or by the original architect, #GreatBritain or by the country that describes itself as the 'People's Republic of #China or by the most evangelical of democracies #USA We bear no grudges but adhere to the Golden Rule “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

End of sentence...

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We can slide out of politics and take ourselves back to the drawing board of culture:

 

In line with one of our prime public policy goals in #AJK To revive #Sharda as one of the pre-eminent centres of learning and wisdom in the world. https://t.co/nxGLiUNi3f

— Tanveer Ahmed (@sahaafi) February 8, 2022

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Here's the letter for international (and regional) human rights organisations in reference to Malik Waseem:

Update 1600hrs:

The torture being meted out by the AJK administration on Malik Waseem is intensifying:

He was given bail for his cyber crime allegation but instead of being released, he was taken to jail!

'Recharged' under 16 MPO (Maintenance of Public Order) once again! He was already on bail for that charge!

Wow! 

Dear AJK Government! 

You really do think we live in isolation and that there will never be accountability for your crimes. Greed is blind said many a wise man and woman. 

Meanwhile, Malik Waseem has been featured in an anonymous newspaper, which refers to his association with me and the punishment he is facing as a result.

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“'I am no bird, and no net ensnares me; I am a free human being with an independent will, which I now exert to leave you. '”

Charlotte Brontë in Jane Eyre #GlobalCivilSociety pic.twitter.com/CnSzH8swCq

— Tanveer Ahmed (@sahaafi) February 9, 2022

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Interaction across the divide and beyond:

 

I think you are acknowledging that legitimate thought and space and we thank you for that. Now, I wonder if a Pakistani of your profession and calibre can donate the same? #IndoPakBilateralism #JKA

— Tanveer Ahmed (@sahaafi) February 9, 2022

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 257 of 2021

1945hrs: 

With so many thoughts and responsibilities going through my mind, it is difficult to pin down what to write but it is important to be as frank as possible. That is my defence as well as attack. I am not working for any ideology with global aspirations but am pursuing geographic nationalism viz. a neutral State with regional as much as global solutions in the shape of water management.

This alone will not save me from political exploitation despite my pursuit being peaceful, educational, economic and cultural.  

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Today was the third day in a row of cross LOC interaction aiming to create cultural possibilities, primarily through rebuilding religious harmony. 

Here's a compilation of videos which cover today's activity:

The following video was taken on the other side of the divide. In Teetwaal village itself:

There was coverage of this event by local media too:

Urdu:

English:

Then, finally at the end of the event I gave my closing statement in Urdu:

This was probably the first time in 74 years that civil society interaction between both sides of divided Jammu Kashmir & Allied areas (JKA) took place in such a manner. Whereby a group of Hindu devotees of Sharda (on this side of the divide) led by Ravinder Pandita (Head of Save Sharda Committee), performed puja on the banks of the River Neelam (Kishenganga) to revive a centuries old yatra (journey), that pre 1947 would begin in Kupwara (now, on the Indian controlled side) and end at Sharda (now, on the Pakistani controlled side).

Ravinder Pandita and a few of his colleagues were also able to come to the bridge linking the two sides. However, civil society on the Pakistani-controlled side were not and in fact were misinformed by the Pakistani army that no such activity is happening on the other side.

What was essentially a cultural event striving towards long lost religious harmony via people to people contact on both sides couldn't escape the arousal of political sentiment when all 3 co-existing nationalist narratives in the contested territory of JKA came face to face.

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 255 of 2021

0152hrs:

I tried to log an entry about 15 minutes before midnight yesterday but the internet connection was too slow to load this page! 

Travelling........and dealing with intermittent but torrential rain. 

Nature has its own plans, let's celebrate it.

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We have a hectic few days ahead and we've already spent the most of the last 24 hours travelling. The most notable event today was a book launch on Sharda at Baramulla:

As can be gauged from the banner above, I was also invited to speak online which I did, thankfully finding a strong enough connection to connect just when I needed it in the Neelam Valley. I still await a video recording of the proceedings..........which I find by accessing Facebook without having to trouble the hosts, well a few snippets at least:

The above event was covered well by local media in Indian-administered Jammu & Kashmir. Here's an example:

Sharda & Sharda Peeth are synonyms of Intellectual glory of Kashmir. Sharda Studies Centre needs to be established at Kashmir University’: Dr Darakhshan Andrabi https://t.co/uf764cU8j2

— JKNS Pvt Ltd (@jknewsservice1) September 13, 2021

Soon after, I was interviewed by a local journalist Khwaja Fayyaz, who also happens to be the Daily Jang correspondent for the region:

 

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 181 of 2020

2143hrs:

The flu has subsided somewhat but a headache has taken its place. Pain builds endurance. 

Meanwhile, I thought the following programme went quite well:

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 163 of 2020

2300hrs:

This has been the most physically enduring week in living memory for me. 

I hope it gets easier here on but that can never be taken for granted....

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I think this gesture will go a long way in repairing the mistrust that has emerged over the past 73 years between our 2 most prominent communities in Jammu Kashmir & Allied:

Extremism has no place in the land of rishis and Sufis. Civil society of the majority community has a larger role to play in rehabilitation of kashmiri pandits in valley. Killing of Ajay Pandita sarpanch by jehadis have widened the gap & there is no condemnation from Kashmiris.🍁 https://t.co/Non1cfQUXI

— Ravinder Pandita (@panditaAPMCC63) June 10, 2020

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 152 of 2020

0933hrs:

All on course.............I must say that this year the summer hasn't really arrived yet and we're on the verge of entering the month of June.

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Today, I was cajoled into venturing out of subdivision Dadyaal for the first time since some date in March (prior to the lockdown I had already confined myself indoors). Albeit only to an adjoining subdivision. Here's some footage:



The Sufi saint who used to seclude himself here on this hilltop is thought to have vanished at some point, never to be seen again:



Today also coincided with our 7th weekly programme in search of clarity on our internal narrative in AJK, which hopefully will create the necessary space for defining clarity on the internal narrative of the whole of the erstwhile Jammu Kashmir & Allied:



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Meanwhile, we cannot forget or forego the following noble pursuit:

@NEP_JKGBL @jarral82 @sahaafi @RVankwani @mohsin_shakil @afzalayyub1 @arifaajakia @Nidhi @beenasarwar @nadia_a_mirza @dawn_com @WorldPTV @TariqNaqash @MughalAmiruddin @jangnews @MehrTarar @Xadeejournalist @mehreenzahra @nailainayat @PTIofficial If kartarpur happens-why not sharda https://t.co/71PfaFa8p2

— Ravinder Pandita (@panditaAPMCC63) May 31, 2020

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 363 of 2019

1325hrs:

Today, I finally decided to type in Urdu myself. This decision was made after going through various experiments with various co-citizens. This proved time consuming, exhausting and expensive where I still needed to pay as much attention as I would need to do the work myself.

I don't think my co-citizens fully understand the concept of research and its importance in delivering clarity in public affairs. 

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The activists of GB have always proved themselves to be more worldly-wise than us in AJK:

Why the state of Pakistan has not been deliberately providing electricity to natural Hydroelectric power station of Gilgit-Baltistan for years. pic.twitter.com/nKNX9mJq5v

— Hasnain Ramal حسنین رمل (@nisarhasnain2) December 29, 2019

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Many thanks to Ravinder Pandita Ji for promoting this clip, which covers the notion of an impending cross road where the national interests of India, Jammu Kashmir and Pakistan converge on the subject of religious heritage:

GOI cites it is Pakistan, who is not concurring the proposal, but the fact remains when I applied for LoC permit last Dec, it was rejected by J&K State CID, though entertained & cleared by RPO & SIB. Let us keep on pressing and create an awareness on both sides. Kudos to civil. https://t.co/pTQF6xdQvO

— Ravinder Pandita (@panditaAPMCC63) December 29, 2019

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 336 of 2019

1500hrs:

Plodding along......still keeping public interaction at a minimum in order to get on top of work that remains pending.

Here's our daily video update explaining our current status:

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After many years - indeed decades - of back-door diplomacy, the Pakistani desire to swallow AJK and GB is now an open discussion on Pakistani TV. This programme on Aaj TV was aired yesterday evening:

Here are some notes I extracted from it:

Air Vice Marshal Shehzad Choudhary rtd - Defence Analyst

- We have a 'principled stand'
- AJK is a part of Kashmir Valley - we can't change that status - keep that in abeyance.
- But we can swallow GB like Indians have swallowed Ladakh..(or we can leave that to China to deal with.

Leuitenant General Abdul Qayoom rtd - PML-N  

- International Law Challenges
- Cannot make our stance weak i.e. We cannot do what India has done 
- AJK is free and has no problems - It is the Kashmir Valley that is suffering HR abuses.
- Problem will not go away until all parties agree on settlement and UN involvement is necessary for that.

Choudhary Manzoor - (Left) PPP

- Plebiscite for all territory
- Kashmir, Pakistan and UN (Agreement needed in that order)

Dr. Talat Farooq - Senior Consultant IPRI

- We need pro-active diplomatic stance
- UN resolutions
- Mobilise diaspora
- We should wait for end of curfew before we take further action
- Look at how China handles Ladakh

Extracted Summary:
Most panelists (including presenter) gave impression that India wants them (viz. Pakistan) to do what they have done to permanently divide the territory of J & K and make LOC International border.  

Of course, the Pakistanis are more calculated than that and will continue using ambiguity to gave us the perception that they have a very principled stand of standing up for the rights of the Valley Kashmiris. Which by extension means that we - the sheep of AJK and GB - are fully behind them.

We are not and hence the absence of our voice in the Pakistani State narrative.

The following was my comment on Youtube:

A very self-serving and self appreciating programme which stinks of hubris and has very little reference to the sentiments of the people that are the legal inheritors of the territory in question.

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The quest for re-opening Sharda continues from the other side of the LOC:

@DrJitendraSingh @DrSJaishankar @MOS_MEA @Tarunvijay @vinay1011 @AdityaRajKaul @sonalkalra @subhashkak1 @KiranKS @KashmiriPandit7 Called on MoS external affairs in parliament house today to take forward Sharda mission in light of LoC permit- whether applicable now. Jai sharda ! pic.twitter.com/CHdUmTzgCx

— Ravinder Pandita (@panditaAPMCC63) December 2, 2019

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 335 of 2019

2131hrs:

Day 11 of our current journey was of a typical Sunday, in the sense that public interaction was at a minimum. 

From Bank Road Muzaffarabad to Sharda as part of an internal narrative. This is a video made last year but it returns to the public domain via:

It has generated a healthy debate, which is a good omen. Although, as you can assess from some of the comments selected below (taken from this video's comments section on Youtube) there is still a lot of spite and venom exchanged between Indians and Pakistanis:

Comment:
Sanaskrit is written in sharda lipi

Reply:
WAS. Japanese Sanskrit is still written in that Script and Tibetan/Burmese Script are Derived from Sharda script . Kashmir is TAPOBHUMI of RISHI kashyap the 18th Rishi of all 18 sages in ancient India who started first gurukuls. He took all those Varana who were left out by first 17 rishis.  My gotra is Kashyap too.

Comment:
Tanveer Ahmed you are telling truth.

Comment:
First time, I am seeing somebody talking in favour of humanity not on Islamic ideology or views..! We need such people in world who rise above religion for humanity..Never follow radical ideology of Islam...!
It’s horrible to self and while world!!!

Comment:
In 1947, Muslims were 9% in India,
Hindus were 14% in Pakistan and 25% in Bangladesh.
But in 2017, Muslims are 18% in India,
Hindus are 2% in Pakistan and 10% in Bangladesh.?

(My note: The above figures should be open for verification but they seem about right to me)

Comment:
Salute to Tanveer AHMED and Supreme court of AJK for showing concern over the preservation and renovation of SHARDA TEMPLE .......their actions are slaps on Hindu fundamentalist society and the supreme court of india regarding their biased decision on BABRI MOSQUE


(My note: The above comment has of course 2 sides to it. There is still a lot of venom between some Indians and some Pakistanis. They need to come to terms with each other and learn to co-exist. In 1947, J & K had some example to set but it was swamped in the Indian partition mess that we are still trying to come to terms with. Let us do the necessary peace building, it will benefit the whole region and beyond, in every sense.)

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I had to include the following comment from Mohammed Ali on my Youtube channel for its incisive commentary on our society. He had to migrate and originates from village Danna near Kotli city in AJK:

"Tanveer Ahmed I love my birth place, but sadly people’s there have lost their identity and there are in deep sleep 😴 
The whole world want to help them in there independent movement, but only if there lobby for total independent from both sides, no international supper power will help us in till we get out narrative right."

End of quote...

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We learned in the afternoon from Mahmood Ahmed Musafir that yesterday's court hearing was also covered by some daily Urdu newspapers. Here they are:

Daily Kashmir Link - Muzaffarabad (Urdu)

Front Page

Page 6 Section 18

The Daily Kashmir Uzma has in particular been very consistent:

Daily Kashmir Uzma - Muzaffarabad (Urdu)

Front Page

Page 3 Section 33

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 285 of 2019

1519hrs:

We had consulted with AC (Assistant Commissioner) Hattian a couple of days ago... 

Here's an explanation of what happened today, in Urdu:



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This could be footage from a couple of days ago when various parts of Neelam came under fire from the Indian side of the 'fence':

Look how people of #Kashmir surviving During Cross #LOC heavy Shelling on both sides of Line of control
Try to listen sound of mortar bombs in #NeelumValley Pakistan's administered Kashmir pic.twitter.com/SuPagak9Fm

— Usman Tariq Chughtai (@UsmanTariqUSK) October 11, 2019

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I'm really glad that the BBC decided to give space to this civilisational pursuit, that took place on the 4th of October. The footage is all ours:



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Highlighting climate activists once again:

In London presumably

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 282 of 2019

1336hrs:

Yesterday's post was overlooked. When you're deeply involved in activity on the ground, as we are - 7 kilometres short of of the LOC at Chakothi - this is understandable.

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If I could convert 24 hours into 48 hours a day, I would have devoted half my time to Gilgit Baltistan. This is the next best thing. Cover them wherever and whenever possible:

People are living in fear in #GilgitBaltistan that if they will say something for their rights than they will get #Disappeared like in #Balochistan, #Sindh and #KPK.@a_siab @YawarOfficial @jamilnagri @DisputedGBPak pic.twitter.com/E49kzBLZAb

— Sayeed Ali Baig (@SayeedAliBaig2) October 9, 2019

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This was dreamt of 10 years ago, while breaking this cultural deadlock in AJK has taken almost 73 years:

@KiranKS @sahaafi @sgqadir @DrJitendraSingh @sonalkalra @Avmhfan @sunanda7711 @RavinderBJPJK @rsrobin1 @KirenRijiju @smritiirani @prahladspatel @YudhvirSethiBJP @vinirish @tusharcosmoo_g @priyasethibjp Jai sharda. https://t.co/n7R3KzAMa3

— Ravinder Pandita (@panditaAPMCC63) October 8, 2019

Here's another example of coverage in Indian media of this historic event:

@PM_AJK @ImranKhanPTI @KiranKS @SMQureshiPTI @sahaafi @mohsin_shakil @RVankwani @beenasarwar @TariqNaqash @PTIofficial
Time to reopen Sharda peeth on lines of kartarpur and Nankana sahib.The recent puja should be an eye opener to both govts.Jai shatda https://t.co/D0srSgnYn7

— Ravinder Pandita (@panditaAPMCC63) October 9, 2019

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A day late and even later to upload to Youtube:



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We thought of this together:



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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 280 of 2019

1747hrs:

توقیر گیلانی کا دو ٹوک اعلان۔
jklf✌✌
مقبول بٹ تیر قافلہ رکا نہیں جھکا نہیں۔✌✌ pic.twitter.com/cCj4vNJTYs

— Sardar Fahim Baig (@SardarFahimBai1) October 7, 2019

Translated thus:

We will not talk to anyone. Discussions will take place with a representative of the UN (United Nations Secretary General) and with representatives (of the 5 permanent members) of the UN Security Council. 

President Toqeer Gilani - Press Conference (at sit-in protest - Chinari)  

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Art and tears:

میرے کشمیر تو کس کو پیارا نہیں۔ ایسی نظم جس نے آزادی مارچ کے شرکا کو رلا دیا pic.twitter.com/bXpPRusiZ2

— Amiruddin Mughal (@MughalAmiruddin) October 7, 2019

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BBC active in AJK once again:

کشمیر کو تقسیم کرنے والی لائن آف کنٹرول عبور کرنے کے لیے پاکستان کے زیر انتظام کشمیر میں منعقد ہونے والے جموں و کشمیر لبریشن فرنٹ کے آزادی مارچ کو جسکول کے مقام پر روکے جانے کے بعد مظاہرین کا دھرنا پیر کو بھی جاری ہے۔

صحافی ایم اے جرال نے مارچ کے شرکا سے بات چیت کی۔ pic.twitter.com/nJdYMabGQB

— BBC News اردو (@BBCUrdu) October 7, 2019

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Here's some background commentary by Ravinder Pandita on cross LOC people to people contact in Jammu & Kashmir with reference to promoting Sharda: 



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So, the AJK prime minister has written the following letter to Pakistan's foreign minister while copying the same to the UN Secretary General's office and the ambassadors of P5 (the 5 permanent members of the UN Security Council) in Islamabad, Pakistan:

Raja Farooq Haider's letter to UN via Pakistan's FM

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