Daily Diary (DD) - Day 318 of 2022

1029hrs:

Day 162 at Maqbool Bhat Shaheed Square - Dadyaal.

0757hrs

Attendance = 100%

Punctuality = 61%

99 days on time or early of 162 

Punctuality surplus = 11 minutes 

Punctuality Consistency Status = 9 days

  

....

It's healthy to be reminded of Switzerland's raison d'etre, from time to time:

 

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 313 of 2022

1735hrs:

Day 157 at Maqbool Bhat Shaheed Square - Dadyaal.

0755hrs

My punctuality deficit has decreased to 8 minutes.

Punctuality percentage: 94 days on time or early of 157 = 60% punctual.

....

As we rapidly approach the most unique of football world cups ever in its history, we can rue our absence there and also try to enjoy the spectacle that it always presents:

I felt it appropriate to submit a comment too:

I think this has been a well presented programme. All the flaws were zeroed in and the viewer is better able to understand the achievement of Qatar to bring the most global of events in human history to its shores. 

We (civil society & public agency) in AJK (the 'free' part of Jammu & Kashmir) were not in a position to think 12 years ahead in 2010. Some of us who could have linked up the dots between Switzerland (Home of FIFA) and Qatar, were only beginning to work on obtaining FIFA membership for AJK & Gilgit Baltistan, during the final of the 2018 World Cup. Croatia also inspired us further by doing so well as a small country. 

Alas, 4 years was not enough preparation to get AJK to take part in a global spectacle of unparalleled exposure. We are yet to receive a response from FIFA in Zurich.

The thought of 'soft power' did go through my mind while watching the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, from AJK. I was happy for Qatar to have achieved this milestone. Hosting global conflict resolution puzzles and facilitating a global media channel are also examples of successful accumulation of 'soft power'.    

We in AJK and the rest of JKA will keenly follow Qatar's achievements into the future.

End of Youtube comment....

(Update: 1621hrs 11/11/2022)

As is almost customary, the thought police of India and/or Pakistan will always try and address any mention of any part of Jammu Kashmir & Allied (areas) on any global forum. They will try and correct any information or analysis according to their own country's narrative. Such an example happened here too:

Someone describing themselves as 'Eternal Gamer' intervened yesterday (10/11/2022) as follows:

"As a part of Pakistan of course."

My response (MR henceforth):

@Eternal Gamer  

No, it is precisely these types of assumptions and assertions that have destroyed Pakistan. These are matters best left to the inhabitants of JKA, without external interference.

(He promptly responded (as if duty bound):

@Tanveer Ahmed  

first of all, you mentioned Gilgit Baltistan. The people of Gilgit Baltistan have always wanted to remain separate from Kashmir and the overwhelming majority supports integration with Pakistan.

Second, if you really are Kashmiri, then you are disrespecting your ancestors and the people of Kashmir who fought and were ready to give their lives to make Kashmir part of Pakistan. 

You're definitely better off than the Kashmiris on the other side of the border.

MR (I responded today):

@Eternal Gamer  

I didn't think this would be the appropriate forum to discuss such matters but since you've raised them I'll just make a couple of brief points in the hope that you will agree to disagree, rather than continuing to pursue or clarify your 'ownership' credentials at the cost of the people of this territory, who have an inherent right to represent themselves, rather than a neighbour forcibly trying to represent their views to the world. 

You make assertions about Gilgit Baltistan while denying them basic fundamental rights for 75 years - which no-one stopped you from giving them. You restrict their freedom of expression, movement, assembly, association and deny them recourse to law and then make fantastic statements about them wanting to remain separate from Kashmir and that an overwhelming majority supports integration with Pakistan, without as much as a rudimentary public opinion survey to back up that assertion. It's a bit like Pharoah claiming that the children of Israel want to fully integrate with Egypt while denying them all avenues to express themselves or seek redressal for crimes committed against them.

The point about disrespecting ancestors also sounds ridiculous for a number of reasons. Anybody who fights for their rights and sacrifices their life does not do so with the intention of surrendering those rights to someone else. You maybe confusing blind faith with their co-religionists thinking that they would be helpful neighbours into a ridiculous suggestion that they sacrificed their lives for Pakistan. Most of the people who have died or been killed since 1947 is either because they found themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time through no fault of their own (religious minorities forced to migrate or be killed to validate the British created 2 nation theory), people who reside on the LOC being killed by Indian and Pakistani bullets, people in the Valley of Kashmir being killed for either being lured by Indian or Pakistani money and arms particularly in the late 1980's/1990's. The list is endless.

Finally, we may be better off than people on the other side of the border but Pakistan cannot take credit for that. Quite the contrary. Indian and Pakistani money and arms were used on the other side while no such intrigue took place on that scale on this side. An Indian wrong does not necessarily make a Pakistani right. The Pakistanis have foolishly tried to live off the misery of others thinking that it creates a groundswell of opinion in its own favour. Most of the world can see through you. Pakistan has closed our gateway to the world while it extracts resources mercilessly from our territory, forcing our people to migrate to all parts of the world for their livelihood. The conditions here are better because of our diaspora - whose foreign remittances enable Pakistan to continue surviving despite it being an economic debacle - and the Pakistanis know full well that if they try and repress our people like the Indians do, then it won't be long before they are kicked out of here. Pakistan does not have the diplomatic or economic clout of India to ride such tribulations.

As mentioned at the outset, I do not wish to continue using this platform to discuss matters that have nothing to do with it. You have made your points and I have made mine. Try and find me on an alternative platform if you're keen to continue the discussion. Try and represent yourself rather than others. Every human being is capable of representing themselves. Try to understand that.

 

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 222 of 2022

2147hrs:

Day 66 at Maqbool Bhat Shaheed Square - Dadyaal.

0847hrs

My punctuality deficit has increased to 462 minutes.

All those incremental improvements in punctuality over the couple of weeks have almost been washed away in one swoop, it seems. I didn't finish working till beyond 0500hrs and I couldn't get up till 0815hrs....

....

The following programme is what I describe as:

Mapping the future of the most precious territory in the world.

Note*

This programme did actually take place on the 14th and not the 13th as originally advertised, due to some technical issues.

....

The following note was written in the early hours of this morning:

I appreciate that we are all constrained for time but in public interest and the existential crisis we find ourselves in, I would like to obtain your thoughts on the following note: 

..

The State of Jammu Kashmir & Allied areas (JKA) 

To be or not to be....from a people's perspective (the local public, inhabitants or permanent residents)

Note* 

The former princely State of Jammu & Kashmir is described as such to be inclusive of all regions while maintaining simplicity for ease of use, including the convenient acronym JKA. The word 'Kashmir' has been used both during and post British colonial era to refer to the whole State, for ease of use amongst other reasons. The actual valley of Kashmir, almost symbolising the core of the State on account of it almost being at the geographic centre of the State, which also has an almost exclusive geography distinct from the rest of the State - a plain area surrounded by mountains in every direction - where the majority speak a distinct language from the rest and have certain distinct cultural traits too. It has also been the centre of attention for a variety of good and bad reasons. It should also be noted that there is a cultural 'Kashmiri' identity and a political 'Kashmiri' identity. They are not one and the same for everybody. The political 'Kashmiri' identity has been used in AJK (Pakistani controlled Mirpur, Muzaffarabad and Pooch: whereby the acronym AJK is also used to be inclusive and easy to identify despite the controversial use of 'Azad') by its inhabitants to primarily differentiate between an Indian & Pakistani political identity, although both India & Pakistan have manipulated its connotations for the purposes of subverting internal political convergence of the inhabitants. It has also become abundantly clear that most people living in Gilgit Baltistan, Jammu and Ladakh do not subscribe to it as a political identity, not least because they think that it subsumes their own regional identities. Hence, our use of the acronym JKA. 

Our window of opportunity to restore the State of JKA is smaller than most of us think, in my opinion. When any politician, activist, judge or bureaucrat tells you that this is a long struggle and we need to go slow; they are either trying to stem the tide of much needed change for their own convenience or they are innocently misjudging the gravity of the situation, as well as the nature of the fast paced world we are living in and the concerted attempts of regional & global back door diplomacy.

If AJK (the 6% sliver of south western JKA) - is as anticipated -  the last hurdle in completing implementation of the British colonial designed (in 1947) gradual process of integrating our territory into India & Pakistan - minus the portions gained by China - does not rise to the occasion, we will no longer - in a practical sense - have a locus standi to reclaim the territory of JKA, as a people. 

Our strengths and weaknesses:

1) Peaceful

The people of Poonch in AJK have successfully re-ignited a spark hitherto seemingly dormant. We must all build on this and as explained before, we have maintained a peaceful resistance despite obvious long term structural suppression and violent - though intermittent - repression by the 'State'. 

2) Ethical

We have ethical arguments that provide a better alternative for humanity compared to what is effectively joint military control by India & Pakistan over our territory. 

3) Legal

We also hold title - as inhabitants identified as the 'people' of the territory - which provides a sound legal basis and 'natural' advantage over the claims of India & Pakistan.

4) Democratic

What we need to pay attention to is the 'democratic deficit' within us.

Weaknesses observed:

a) We do not give fair and equal space to each other. We talk 'at' each other rather than 'to' each other. We do not understand that the better we listen & observe, the better we can speak & write.

b) We want to mobilise everybody towards a specific ideology or strategy at the exclusion of all others. We do not recognise the merits of plurality or understanding the need for synthesising consensus to develop successful public policy. Most of us side with one country or another without realising that we are opening space for multiple external claims on our territory while closing all opportunities to internal ownership by the inhabitants. Lessons in geo-political neutrality and democracy can be learned from Switzerland.

c) We do not weigh the difference between each other in terms of commitment, integrity, consistency, grasp of the subject at hand and we do not devote our personal resources to the 'national cause' on merit. We have also de-linked the 'rights struggle' from everyday governance and have thus given a free hand to our own politicians, bureaucrats, judiciary and practically all other government servants to abuse public resources (both taxpayer funded and environmentally endowed) at will. As in all colonial structures, we pay for our own subjugation.

d) We do not act according to our title ('Maalik' aur 'Waaris' meaning 'Owners' and 'Inheritors'). This means that we do not seek re-instatement of our fundamental rights as a primary condition of dialogue with our neighbouring claimants. Our posture is to seek concessions from them to make our individual lives relatively easier to bear, likewise giving them a free hand to control all levers of governance, which we think is beyond our grasp or domain. This is how our politicians operate and this is how we emulate their behaviour by sacrificing public interest for personal interest, paving the way for India & Pakistan to consolidate their grip decade after decade, to the extent that we have now reached the verge of extinction as a political entity.

#JKASovereignty

#Neutrality

#DirectDemocracy

#PublicPolicy

AJK Public Agency Note #020910082022

....

An Urdu translation of AJK Public Agency Note #020910082022: 

یہ بات درست ھے کہ ھم سب کے پاس وقت کی کمی ھے لیکن عوامی مفاد اور خاص کر کہ جب ھمارے وجود کی بقاء کو مٹنے اور مٹانے کے  المیے کا سامنا ھے اس سلسلے میں مناسب سمجھتا ھوں کہ آپ سب کو کچھ آنے والے حالات سے آگاھی دوں اور اس کے ساتھ ساتھ درج ذیل نوٹ  پر آپ کے خیالات بھی جان سکوں ۔

 

نوٹ*                     

ریاست جموں کشمیر و متحدہ علاقہ جات کو JKA کے نام سے جانا جاتا ھے کیونکہ یہ نام تمام خطوں کی نمایندگی کرتا ہے اور یہ لفظ کی اداییگی اور استعمال میں آسان بھی ھے اور  سادہ بھی ، اور جس میں آسان مخفف JKA بھی بنتا ہے۔ اور ریاست جموں کشمیر  و متحدہ علاقہ جات کو صرف لفظ 'کشمیر' برطانوی نوآبادیاتی دور کے دوران اور اس کے بعد دونوں وجوہات کے ساتھ استعمال ھوتا رھا ھے ایک  یہ نام   بولنے میں آسان اور مختصر ھے اور دوسرا یہ کہ ریاست کی پہچان اور نام کو آنے والی نسل کےلیے یچیدہ بنا دیا جایے۔ حالانکہ ریاست جموں کشمیر و متحدہ علاقہ جات میں واقع  کشمیر کا علاقہ دراصل تقریباً ریاست کے عین  جغرافیائی مرکز میں ہونے کی وجہ سے ریاست کے مرکز کی علامت ہے، جس کا تقریباً ایک مخصوص جغرافیہ بھی باقی ریاست سے کچھ الگ ہے - چونکہ یہ زیادہ تر میدانی علاقے پر مشتمل ھے اور اطراف سے پہاڑوں سے بنی قدرتی فصیل ھے  ریاست کے اس مرکزی خطہ کشمیر کی اکثریت کشمیری   زبان بولتی ہے جو کہ باقی علاقوں میں بولی جانے والی بولیوں سے بالکل الگ ھے۔ ریاست کے اس مرکزی خطہ کشمیر کی کچھ مخصوص ثقافتی خصوصیات بھی ہیں۔ یہ کچھ مختلف اچھی اور بری وجوہات کی بنا پر صدیوں سے توجہ کا مرکز بھی رہا ہے۔ یہ بات بھی واضح کرتا چلوں کہ ریاست کے اس حصے کی  ایک ثقافتی شناخت کے ساتھ ساتھ ایک سیاسی شناخت بھی ہے۔ حالانکہ یہ سیاسی شناخت سب کے لیے ایک جیسے نہیں ھے اور یہ سیاسی  شناخت صرف  آزاد جموں و کشمیر میں استعمال کی گئی ہے (پاکستانی کنٹرولڈ میرپور، مظفرآباد اور  پونچھ نیلم): جس کے تحت اس آزاد خطے کو  AJK  کا نام دیا جاتا ھے  جو کہ  اس کا مخفف بھی ھے۔  حالانکہ  لفظ  'آزاد' کے متنازعہ استعمال کے باوجود شناخت کرنے میں آسان اور آسانی کے لیے استعمال کیا جاتا ھے جب کہ اس کے باشندوں کے درمیان بنیادی طور پر فرق کرنے کے لیے۔ ایک ہندوستانی اورپاکستانی سیاسی تشخص، اگرچہ ہندوستان اور پاکستان دونوں نے ریاستی باشندوں کے اندرونی سیاسی اتحاد کو ختم کرنے کے مذموم  مقاصد کے لیے اس کے مفہوم میں ہیرا پھیری کی ہے۔ یہ بات بھی کافی حد تک عیاں ہو چکی ہے کہ گلگت بلتستان، جموں اور لداخ میں رہنے والے زیادہ تر لوگ اسے سیاسی شناخت کے طور پر نہیں مانتے، کم از کم اس لیے نہیں کہ وہ سمجھتے ہیں کہ یہ ان کی اپنی علاقائی شناخت کو واضع نہیں کرتا ہے۔ لہذا، ہمارے نام کا مخفف JKA کا استعمال ھی درست ھے

 

جے کے اے کی ریاست کو بحال کرنے کے مواقع کی ہماری کھڑکی میری رائے میں ہم میں سے اکثر کے خیال سے چھوٹی ہے۔ جب کوئی بھی سیاست دان، کارکن، جج یا بیوروکریٹ آپ کو بتائے کہ یہ ایک طویل جدوجہد ہے اور ہمیں سست رفتاری سے آگے بڑھنے کی ضرورت ہے۔ وہ یا تو اپنی سہولت کے لیے یا پھر  انتہائی ضروری تبدیلی کی لہر کو روکنے کی کوشش کر رہے ہیں یا پھر وہ معصومیت سے حالات کی سنگینی کے ساتھ ساتھ اس کی نوعیت کا غلط اندازہ لگا رہے ہیں۔ تیز رفتار دنیا جس میں ہم رہ رہے ہیں اور علاقائی اور عالمی بیک ڈور ڈپلومیسی کی ٹھوس کوششیں ریاست کو مٹانے کےلیے ھو رھی ھیں

 

اگرچہ AJK (جنوبی مغربی JKA کا 6%  کا ٹکڑا ھے) - جیسا کہ متوقع ہے کہ برطانوی نوآبادیاتی ڈیزائن (1947 میں) ہماری سرزمین کو ہندوستان اور پاکستان میں ضم کرنے کے بتدریج عمل کو مکمل کرنے میں آخری رکاوٹ  ثابت ھو رھا ھے - (چین کا حاصل کردہ ٹکڑا اس کے علاوہ ھے) مگر یہ کوشش ناکافی ھے اور اگر ھم حالات کے مطابق کھڑے نہیں ھو سکے تو آگے چل کر ھمارے پاس ریاست جموں کشمیر و متحدہ علاقہ جات کو حاصل کرنے کےلیے کویی دلیل نہیں ھو گی کہ ھم ریاست کو واپس حاصل کر سکیں لہذا ھمیں چوکنا رھنا ھو گا اور AJK خاص کر پونچھ کے علاقے سے دوبارہ اٹھنے والی اس تازہ آزادی کی لہر کا ہر ممکن تحفظ کرنا ھو گا۔

 

ہماری خوبیاں اور کمزوریاں:

 

1) پرامن

آزاد جموں و کشمیر میں پونچھ کے لوگوں نے کامیابی کے ساتھ ایک چنگاری کو دوبارہ بھڑکا دیا ہے جو اب تک بظاہر غیر فعال تھی۔ ہم سب کو اس کی پشت پر رھنا چاہیے اور جیسا کہ پہلے بیان کیا گیا ہے، ہم نے 'ریاست' کی طرف سے واضح طویل مدتی ساختی جبر اور پرتشدد - اگرچہ وقفے وقفے سے - جبر کے باوجود ایک پرامن مزاحمت کو برقرار رکھا ہے۔

 

2) اخلاقی

ہمارے پاس اخلاقی دلائل ہیں جو انسانیت کے لیے ایک بہتر متبادل فراہم کرتے ہیں اس کے مقابلے میں جو کہ ہمارے علاقے پر ہندوستان اور پاکستان کے مشترکہ فوجی کنٹرول ہے۔

 

3) قانونی

ہم ٹائٹل بھی رکھتے ہیں - علاقے کے 'لوگ' کے طور پر شناخت کیے گئے باشندوں کے طور پر - جو کہ ہندوستان اور پاکستان کے دعووں پر ایک مضبوط قانونی بنیاد اور 'قدرتی' فائدہ فراہم کرتا ہے۔

 

4) جمہوری

ہمیں جس چیز پر توجہ دینے کی ضرورت ہے وہ ہے ہمارے اندر کا 'جمہوری خسارہ'۔

 

کمزوریوں کا مشاہدہ کیا گیا:

 

A)

 ہم ایک دوسرے کو منصفانہ اور مساوی جگہ نہیں دیتے۔ ہم ایک دوسرے کی بات سننے  کے بجائے ایک دوسرے سے بات کرتے ہیں۔ ہم یہ نہیں سمجھتے کہ ہم جتنا بہتر سنتے اور مشاہدہ کرتے ہیں، اتنا ہی بہتر بول اور لکھ سکتے ہیں۔

 

B)

ہم باقی سب کو چھوڑ کر سب کو ایک مخصوص نظریہ یا حکمت عملی کی طرف متحرک کرنا چاہتے ہیں۔ ہم تکثیریت کی خوبیوں کو تسلیم نہیں کرتے یا کامیاب عوامی پالیسی تیار کرنے کے لیے اتفاق رائے کی ترکیب کی ضرورت کو نہیں سمجھتے۔ ہم میں سے اکثر یہ سمجھے بغیر کہ ہم اپنی سرزمین پر متعدد بیرونی دعووں کے لیے جگہ کھول رہے ہیں اور وہاں کے باشندوں کی اندرونی ملکیت کے تمام مواقع بند کر رہے ہیں، ایک یا دوسرے ملک کا ساتھ دیتے ہیں۔ سوئٹزرلینڈ سے جیو پولیٹیکل نیوٹرلٹی اور جمہوریت کا سبق سیکھا جا سکتا ہے۔

 

C)

ہم عزم، دیانتداری، مستقل مزاجی، موضوع کی گرفت کے لحاظ سے ایک دوسرے کے درمیان فرق کو نہیں تولتے اور ہم اپنے ذاتی وسائل کو میرٹ پر 'قومی مقصد' کے لیے وقف نہیں کرتے۔ ہم نے 'حقوق کی جدوجہد' کو روزمرہ کی طرز حکمرانی سے بھی جوڑ دیا ہے اور اس طرح اپنے ہی سیاست دانوں، بیوروکریٹس، عدلیہ اور عملی طور پر دیگر تمام سرکاری ملازمین کو اپنی مرضی سے عوامی وسائل (ٹیکس دہندگان کی مالی امداد اور ماحولیات کے لحاظ سے عطا کردہ) دونو کا غلط استعمال کرنے کی کھلی چھٹی دے دی ہے۔ تمام نوآبادیاتی ڈھانچے کی طرح، ہم اپنی محکومی کی قیمت خود ادا کرتے ہیں۔

 

D)

ہم اپنے لقب ('مالک' اور 'وارث' کے معنی 'مالک' اور 'وارث' کے مطابق عمل نہیں کرتے ہیں۔ اس کا مطلب یہ ہے کہ ہم اپنے ہمسایہ دعویداروں کے ساتھ بات چیت کی بنیادی شرط کے طور پر اپنے بنیادی حقوق کی بحالی نہیں چاہتے۔ ہمارا موقف یہ ہے کہ ہماری انفرادی زندگی کو برداشت کرنے کے لیے نسبتاً آسان بنانے کے لیے ان سے مراعات حاصل کی جائیں، اسی طرح انھیں حکومت کے تمام پہلوؤں کو کنٹرول کرنے کے لیے آزادانہ ہاتھ فراہم کرنا ہے، جو ہمارے خیال میں ہماری گرفت یا دائرہ کار سے باہر ہے۔ اس طرح ہمارے سیاستدان کام کرتے ہیں اور اس طرح ہم ذاتی مفادات کے لیے عوامی مفادات کو قربان کر کے ان کے طرز عمل کی تقلید کرتے ہیں، بھارت اور پاکستان کے لیے دہائیوں کے بعد اپنی گرفت مضبوط کرنے کی راہ ہموار کرتے ہیں، اس حد تک کہ ہم اب ناپید ہونے کے دہانے پر پہنچ چکے ہیں۔     ھمیں جاگنا ھوگا۔ اور یہ آخری موقع ھے۔

#JKASovereignty

#Neutrality

#DirectDemocracy

#PublicPolicy

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 181 of 2022

2218hrs:

Day 25 at Maqbool Bhat Shaheed Square - Dadyaal.

0819hrs

Being late is frustrating but it also indicates weakness(es) of some kind.

....

I'm just breezing through an academic collection of work on our territory: 'Society and Politics of Jammu and Kashmir' edited by Serena Hussain and published by Palgrave Macmillan 2021 at Cham, Switzerland. 

I find it refreshing that some academic measurement is being made of what the people here - on the ground in particular and those striving in some manner in the diaspora - go through to get their voice heard or written about, when the structure of statecraft is so heavily stacked in favour of India and Pakistan, crafted with such dexterity that only the British could possibly conjure up.

At first glance, it also makes me feel that I'm missing out on something somewhere.

Whatever it is, it is what I need to address as part of my daily routine.

....  

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 121 of 2022

2310hrs:

Break day 7 of district (Kotli) wide tour

....

Towards clarity on neutrality:

This remains the only viable solution to the future of #JKA It is what Hari Singh wanted & he was later corroborated by his former arch enemies - in 1947 - Sheikh Abdullah & Sardar Ibrahim, who had both done more to facilitate #IndoPak than any other local politician at the time. https://t.co/oQ837KvhbL

— Tanveer Ahmed (@sahaafi) April 30, 2022

....

Yet another forest fire in AJK, on this occasion in Muzaffarabad:

 

Fire broke out, Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-occupied Jammu Kashmir.
Video: M.Arif Urfi@SardarTanveerIK@PMOAJK@sahaafi @WahidKashir @farooq_pm @KhawajaFarooqA2 @GretaThunberg @UNFCCC pic.twitter.com/ZCKVtHoo3S

— Akmal Jarall (@aakmaljarall) May 1, 2022

Meanwhile, back in Sehnsa:

The fire that broke out in Sahasna,Kotli,POJK for the last several days could not be brought under control yet.Rare birds & rare herbs were also burnt in the fire. The smoke from the fire is polluting the environment, posing a serious threat to human & animal life#ClimateCrisis https://t.co/U9iJiNYW2d pic.twitter.com/J3GF2FcPa9

— Akmal Jarall (@aakmaljarall) May 1, 2022

....

 

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 52 of 2022

0956hrs:

Day 33 at Martyr's Square Kotli

.....

Update from Shaheed Chowk at 1020hrs:

The Assistant Commissioner of Kotli just visited me at the Chowk and threatened to get me removed from the Chowk, if I don't leave voluntarily.

We understand from sources within the AJK government that the Defence Minister of Pakistan is applying pressure on the Kotli district administration to remove me as soon as possible.

My stance is that the District Constitutional Conciliation Committee comprising of 5 MLAs and 5 prominent nationalists of the district sit and listen to my stance.

Whatever they vote in the majority I will abide by. Otherwise, I am staying put in Shaheed Chowk.

If I am forcibly removed I will conduct a hunger strike till death.

I know that India and Pakistan want to permanently divide JKA between themselves as soon as possible.

Over my dead body I say.

End of note....

An Urdu translation of the above note:

شہید چوک کوٹلی 10:20

اسسٹنٹ کمشنر کوٹلی ابھی ابھی شہید چوک میں میرے پاس آیا اور مجھے دھمکی دی کہ اگر میں خود یہاں سے نہیں اٹھا تو طاقت کا استعمال کر کہ مجھے یہاں سے اٹھا دیا جائے گا ۔

آذاد جموں کشمیر کی حکومت کے اندرونی ذرائع سے ہمیں پتہ چلا ہے کہ پاکستان کا وزیر دفاع ضلع کوٹلی کی انتظامیہ پر مجھے جلد از جلد شہید چوک کوٹلی سے اٹھانے کے لئے پریشر ڈال رہا ہے۔

میرا نقظہ نظر یہ ہے کہ "ضلعی آئینی مصالحتی کمیٹی" جو کہ  پانچ ایم ایل ایز اور  ضلع کے پانچ نمایاں آذادی پسند پر مشتمل ہے، میرے ساتھ بیٹھیں اور میرا نقظہ نظر سنیں۔

جو بھی وہ اکثریتی فیصلہ کریں گئے میں اس پہ عمل کروں گا۔ اس کے علاوہ، میں شہید چوک سے نہیں اٹھوں گا۔

اگر مجھے طاقت کے زور پر اٹھایا گیا تو میں تادم مرگ بھوک ہڑتال کروں گا۔

میں جانتا ہوں کہ انڈیا اور پاکستان جموں کشمیر اور متحدہ علاقہ جات کو جلد از جلد مستقل طور پہ  تقسیم کرنا چاہتے ہیں جو کہ میری صرف موت پر ہی ممکن ہے

......

Many of my co-citizens immediately got to work to spread their concerns about the behaviour of the AJK government. Here is a notable example:  

On Twitter:

  

ہم سمجھتے ہیں کہ وزیر دفاع پاکستان کوٹلی کی ضلعی انتظامیہ پر دباؤ ڈال رہے ہیں کہ تنویر صاحب کو جلد از جلد کوٹلی چوک سے ہٹا دیا جائے۔ اسی وجہ سے اسسٹنٹ کمشنر نے دھمکی دیا کہ اگر @sahaafi رضاکارانہ طور پر نہ گئے تو انہیں زبردستی ہٹایا جائے گا۔#StandWithSahaafi #StandWithTanveer pic.twitter.com/I1D0igbdTd

— AKLM_0FFICIAL_URDU (@AKLM_0FFICIAL) February 21, 2022

A good point emerged from the above:

  

اسسٹنٹ کمشنر اور انکے ساتھیوں کے ساتھ کیخلاف مکمل احتجاج کرنا چاہیے ورنہ آزاد ریاست کا کیا مطلب

— BABAR NAZIR🍁🍁 (@Baba_r2) February 21, 2022

Translation of above tweet:

We should conduct an all out strike (peaceful demonstration) against the Assistant Commissioner (Kotli), otherwise what is the meaning of a 'free' State? (AJK is described as the 'free' part of the State of Jammu & Kashmir).

  

.........

 

Thank you Facebook for bringing up apt memories:

..............

Here's the all important discussion on what happened this morning and its after effects. A summary in English is also included at the end:

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 1 of 2022

2038hrs:

I wish everybody a prosperous new year. Another even one is 2022.

.........

I get the feeling that flags, national sovereignty, development and public policy are going to feature heavily in our public interest activity this year, even more so than in previous years. Hence, the following update:

Influences on JKA to date:

Alternative influences sought to develop world class governance in JKA, subject to the people's reference and without compromising neutrality and sovereignty:

The following photo which has appeared in various media this afternoon - I took it from a Facebook post - provoked a multitude of sentiments in me and I immediately decided to share it with my co-citizens, to elicit a response to the following question:

What do you take from this image?

The photo above - released at one of four points on the LOC where similar exchanges of sweets were made on New Years Day 2022 - provoked a flurry of instant responses from many of my co-citizens, as follows:

1)

......

Meanwhile, here's direct footage of the Chelhana-Teetwaal meet of both armies today:

Another date added by Indian & Pak army to exchange sweets -1 Jan 2022.Good to see that.
We hope both the armies will help civilians too to meet on whiteline at LoC.
Let's fix up this year sharda divas to meet at LoC. It will be a big CBM@adgpi @OfficialDGISPR @PakPMO @PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/Vtq1pcWAwf

— Ravinder Pandita(Save Sharda) (@panditaAPMCC63) January 2, 2022

...... 

Also on this very eventful day some disturbing news emerged, over which the family of the deceased have asked me to become their voice. 

The following video was released a day after this incident:

Let's clarify the acronym BAT first. It is described by Google as follows: The BAT (Border Action Team) of the Pakistan Army include both regular Army personnel and mercenaries from groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and are tasked to carry out surprise hits on Indian positions along the LoC.

Now, let's move on to the information we have gathered so far:

On this day (the first day of 2022) Muhammad Shabir Malik s/o Suleiman Malik of Sharda was killed by the Indian army - apparently on suspicion of being an armed infiltrator - relatively deep on the other side of Keran (the Indian-controlled side) according to Indian sources, about 36 kilometres south of his hometown Sharda.

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 245 of 2021

2240hrs:

The tasks we set get harder with each passing day but in turn get easier if we maintain a consistent routine. In fact, there is possibly nothing stronger than consistency to break the heaviest of barriers.

For the record and for those who missed the live videos on JKTV that day viz. 21/08/2020

For the benefit of those of you that are watching the video direct from this page I shall write the description of the video below. You may read and comment as appropriate:

Flags are the most obvious symbols of sovereignty and claims to ownership of territory. De jure sovereignty in AJK belongs to the people, they are the legal inheritors of this territory. The people were also referenced in the declared statement of the 24th of October 1947, claimed by the founding president of AJK. However, de facto sovereignty has been practiced here by the Pakistani State since it invaded via tribal Pathan proxies on the 22nd of October 1947. This invasion practically ended the State of Jammu & Kashmir's independence since the 15th of August 1947; as clarified in the Indian Independence Act whose plan was initially announced on the 3rd of June 1947, then enacted and adopted by the British Parliament, while receiving royal assent on 18 July 1947. This very act also created the dominions of India and Pakistan. The Pakistani invasion on the 22nd of October gave opportunity and casus belli for overt and open Indian involvement in the affairs of Jammu & Kashmir. In other words, Pakistan paved the path for India to openly enter Jammu & Kashmir. Meanwhile, Britain facilitated both countries - which were yet dominions of the British commonwealth - to jointly control respective parts of the State of Jammu & Kashmir (initially 63% India and 37% Pakistan until the entry of China in 1962) without the people's reference being utilised. The status quo persists to date (21 August 2020) while Britain and all other stakeholders keep us - the people - entangled in Indo-Pak bilateralism, which remains a perfect alibi to permanently divide our territory. Thus, de jure sovereignty remains with the people. on whom the onus lies to synchronise that entitlement with a hands-on peaceful, ethical, legal and democratic struggle to reclaim de facto sovereignty. In simpler terms, converting the people's entitlement to public policy in AJK, which would provide a reference for governance and conflict resolution in the remaining parts of Jammu Kashmir and Allied areas. In even simpler terms, reclaiming our 'Right to Rule' from Pakistan will evaporate India's claim to this territory, subject to the people's reference. This video is a testament to this contest, in the most vivid and transparent way possible. Notes (definition of terminology used):

testament (meaning):

noun

1.

a person's will, especially the part relating to personal property.

"father's will and testament"

2.

something that serves as a sign or evidence of a specified fact, event, or quality.

"growing attendance figures are a testament to the event's popularity"

Similar:

testimony

witness

evidence

proof

attestation

demonstration

indication

de jure (meaning):

adverb

according to rightful entitlement or claim; by right.

"the resolution declared that the independent Republic of Latvia proclaimed on November 18, 1918 was still in existence de jure"

Similar:

by right

rightfully

legally

according to the law

Opposite:

de facto

adjective

existing or holding a specified position by legal right.

"he had been de jure king since his father's death"

casus belli (meaning):

noun

an act or situation that provokes or justifies a war.

Ref. definition of meanings derived from Google

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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 215 of 2020

1645hrs:

I wanted to leave Mirpur today at all costs but I still haven't completed my 'desk' targets yet. I am close though and despite picking up flu symptoms last night I'm battling on.

.....

The following interview was pending for upload since it was conducted on the 16th of October 2019:



Here's an intro to the interviewee:

Asif Hashmi

Singer, songwriter, composer of Bagh has spent over 12 years promoting local J & K culture through his artistic efforts but only receives verbal/written applause or recognition. The society whose rights he is working for do not provide him with practical assistance, so that he may deliver even more and better than what he is doing on his own steam. This is the story of our society and the major reason why we are not making any progress in our rights struggle.

.......

For those who are really serious about Jammu Kashmir & Allied's independence have a lot to learn from Switzerland:

Plenty of food for thought for #JandK Watch "How Switzerland Stayed Neutral" on YouTube https://t.co/F3xQdqtnID

— Tanveer Ahmed (@sahaafi) August 2, 2020

..........

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 213 of 2020

1807hrs:

Eid is being celebrated in various parts of the world and I wish them all a happy Eid in these tenuous times. Here in AJK, we'll be celebrating tomorrow and I'm spending the day locked down inside trying to bring some parity between my outdoor work (field activism) and indoor work (filing, categorising and uploading content).

Meanwhile, we are still working on defining a peaceful, ethical, legal and democratic means to prevent the Pakistani State from encroaching further into our polity, through the Trojan horse of solidarity in our name. 

Pakistan's solidarity with Kashmir - irrespective of however genuine it may be - means we lose out on solidarity by the rest of the world. Being partisan in our approach to conflict resolution in this territory - be it by country, religion or ideology - means we are doomed to being a pawn in the strategy of our neighbouring countries and beyond. Switzerland learned and proactively implemented their neutrality in 1515. That saved them from being trapped in the war calculations of their various neighbours. We could also learn to do so in 2020.

...... 

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 319 of 2019

1359hrs:

There is much available on the internet to help us understand the concept of money. I have yet to see a better explanation than the following documentary by Deutsche Welle (DW), a German state-owned public international broadcaster:

Comment:

Yet another humane initiative in which the Swiss are playing a leading role. We in Jammu & Kashmir are being deprived of that status and stature that could make us more Swiss than the Swiss themselves.

.......

Now, why am I not surprised at the following?:



Or with the following?



......

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 240 of 2019

1132hrs:

This is probably the clearest message to the international community on the status of Jammu & Kashmir. There are no if's or but's.

A Citizen's Witness Statement to Global Civil Society:


Abdul Majeed Malik - x. Chief Justice of High Court - AJK

Photo Credit: Twitter @aqdurrani49

Transcription and Translation (from Urdu into English):

Jammu Kashmir ki awaam ko do tok ye elaan karna chahiye 
Dunya saari ko ye paigham dena chahiye 

The public of Jammu Kashmir should make a clear announcement
It should give this message to the whole world

Ke Riyasat Jammu Kashmir aik azaad mamlikat hay
Is ke iqtadaar e ala ke maalik Jammu Kashmir ki awaam hay

That the State of Jammu Kashmir is a free country
Paramountcy is owned by the public of Jammu Kashmir

Aur Jammu Kashmir ki awaam na kisi muaedey me shaamil hain
Na unho ne kisi ke saath commitment ki hay.

The public of Jammu Kashmir are not part of any agreement 
Neither have they made a commitment with anyone

Na wo Hindustaan ka hissa hain, na wo Pakistan ka hissa hain.
Balqey wo aik alag mamlikat hain.

They are not a part of India, neither are they a part of Pakistan.
Indeed they are a separate country.

Aur Is ki taeed Pakistan ka a'in Chappan (1956) ka bhi, unees so Baasat (1962) ka bhi aur Unees so Thehatar (1973) bhi zikr karta hay..
Jis ka Article 257 zamaanat deta hay ke Riyasat Jammu Kashmir na Hindustaan ka hissa hay, na wo Pakistan ka hissa hay, 

This is confirmed by Pakistan's constitution in 1956, in 1962 too and in 1973 it is mentioned too..
In which article 257 assures that the State of Jammu Kashmir is not a part of India, neither is it a part of Pakistan. 

Balqey us ka alag azaad khud-mukhtar wajood qaim hay
Jis ka faisla Jammu Kashmir ke awaam ne karna hay

Indeed that it has a separate, free and independent existence.
On whose behalf the public of Jammu Kashmir will decide.

To in haalaat me hum ne ye elaan karna hay:
Ke Riyasat Jammu Kashmir ki awaam kisi muaedey ke paaband nahi hay; na wo Sind-Taas muaedey ke paaband hain, na Simla Accord ke paaband hain, na kisi aur muaedey me paaband hain. 

So, in these circumstances we have to make an announcement:
That the public of the State of Jammu Kashmir are not bound by any agreement; they are not bound by the Indus Basin Treaty, they are not bound by the Simla Accord and neither are they bound in any other agreement.  

Balqey wo kisi Riyasat ke...kisi bhi taaqat ko faisla karney ka ikhtyar nahi detey hain, na Hindustaan is ka koi faisla karsakta hay, na Pakistan kar sakta hay.

Further that they do not give any State...or any Power the right to choose (on their behalf), India can not make any such decision and neither can Pakistan.

Balqey Jammu Kashmir ki awaam khud apney mulk ko azaad rakhna chahtey hain aur azaadi hi un ka mission hay

In fact the public of Jammu Kashmir themselves want to keep their country free and freedom itself is their mission

Wo kisi taqseem ko bhi qabool nahi karengey aur kisi aur faisley ko bhi qabool nahi karengey...

They will also not accept any partition/division (of their land) and neither will they accept any other decision...

wa maa alaina il-lal balaagh (Arabic)
This is what we have to disseminate (spread, tell others)
   
1 min 18 sec statement in Mirpur
Jammu Kashmir TV aired on 28/08/19

link

.....

A bit of blog time and space should be devoted to yesterday's coverage in Pakistan's Dawn newspaper of the nation-wide protests in favour of 'Jammu Kashmir Chor Do Tehreek' (Quit Jammu Kashmir Movement) the day before viz. the 26th of August:

Here are a couple of tweets of mine on the subject:

#DawnOnAJK has still tried to tilt this towards a Pakistani narrative, using imagery and perhaps altering the title. Or were they trying to fend off scrutiny by the most ardent defenders of that narrative viz. their military? The content itself was fairly written though.

— Tanveer Ahmed (@sahaafi) August 28, 2019

Earlier:

I would say they have a fair distance to cover yet before they reach the summit of truth. This could still be the beginning though! Congrats to #TariqNaqash for nudging the barriers, in all respects...

— Tanveer Ahmed (@sahaafi) August 27, 2019

I had initially seen the link to this article in a message which had a more accurate spin. Thus, when you compare the two different set of presentations, you will distinguish between a Pakistani narrative and an internal narrative:

The image in the twitter link and on Dawn's website are different from the images above. There are Pakistani and Jamaat e Islami (perceived as right-wing and closely affiliated to Pakistan's military) flags in the former and internal narrative images in the latter above.

The title in the twitter link and on Dawn's website is: "AJK capital sees first march for occupied Kashmir's independence".

The title in the image above is: "AJK capital sees first march for independence".

Update 1444hrs:

Dawn have now changed the image for the article on their website, to the following:

From this:

However, the title remains misleading. viz. "AJK capital sees first march for occupied Kashmir's independence" as opposed to "AJK capital sees first march for independence".

Indeed, even this latter title would not be correct. As this was most certainly not the AJK capital's first march for independence. These marches began way back in the 1960's and in the context of Mirpur began even earlier in the 1950's.

The title should be changed to: "AJK en masse demands both Indo-Pak Quit Jammu Kashmir".

That is, if it wishes to reach the summit of truth. 

......

Update 1351hrs:

This is serious interference in the internal narrative of AJK, at a critical juncture:

Oh dear...."Jang waala mahol banaey".."Me aap ki taeed leney nahi aaya". So, we have a seemingly ultra patriotic Pakistani political party 'Pak Zarzameen Party' led by Sayed Mustafa Kamal, who it appears is trying to 'hotwire' the Pakistani narrative in #AJK at #Muzaffarabad . https://t.co/6HmLa0cu2l

— Tanveer Ahmed (@sahaafi) August 28, 2019

"Jang ka mahol banaey" means, "Make a war like environment (here)".

"Me aap ki taeed leney nahi aaya" means, "I haven't come to solicit your approval".

.....