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Showing posts with label deforestation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label deforestation. Show all posts

Thursday, 12 June 2025

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 163 of 2025

1354hrs:

Another blistering day. Today is definitely my last day at home before I venture back out to Sharda for a few days. 

We still have our eyes on completing the last 2 remaining subdivisions (tehsils) of 35 in total viz. Hattian & Leepa. 

We are giving a few more days to our Jhelum Valley district administration to sort themselves out, else we mobilise a large number of our public to bring their inhumane activities to the fore.

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The following is the direction that the Pakistani State is dragging the people of AJK towards:


Here's the text of the tweet elaborating on this poster:

🧵 Thread: Justice for Zarnosh & Jabran – Victims of Extrajudicial Killings In Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.
1/
Two brothers.
Two funerals.
No trial.
No FIR.
Zarnosh Naseem & Jabran were killed without due process, labeled “terrorists” without proof, and denied basic legal rights.
This is a fight for truth and accountability.
#JusticeForZarnosh #JusticeForJabran
2/
Zarnosh was in police custody for 13 days.
Then released.
Weeks later, falsely linked to a murder he didn’t commit — on a day he was at a family wedding (with proof).
When he refused to do their dirty work, they hunted him.
Then killed him.
3/
His wife, Umme Ahmed, breaks her silence:
“He wasn’t a terrorist.
He was running for his life from the real criminals in uniform.
Even animals weren’t harmed by him — yet he was branded a terrorist.”
4/
Jabran – another innocent man – was also killed.
No investigation.
No accountability.
No explanation.
Just silence.
5/
The state arrested elderly women, tortured his aunt, and terrorized the family.
Yet, for 8 months, with all their force, they couldn’t catch him — because he didn’t commit any crime.
6/
This isn’t just about Zarnosh & Jabran.
It’s about the right to due process, the abuse of power, and fabricated labels used to silence dissent.
What happened to them can happen to anyone.
7/
📢 We demand:
•Judicial inquiry into the killings
•FIR for Jabran’s murder
•Transparent investigation
•End to false “terrorism” labels
🗓️ On June 12, Zarnosh’s family will gather at Bagh DC Office.
Join them. Raise your voice. Stand for justice.
8/
History will ask:
Where were you when they were killing sons without trials?
If we stay silent now, we fail them — and ourselves.
✊🏽 Speak up.
Retweet.
Show up.
#StopExtrajudicialKillings @UNHumanRights @UN @hrw @amnesty @BBCWorld @cnni #RulingEliteAJK
#JusticeForZarnosh
#JusticeForJabran
#HumanRights #POJK
#PakistanOccupiedKashmir

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The above referenced tweet can be accessed here . 

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On external interference from a global academic perspective, by the increasingly consulted American economist Jeffrey David Sachs:


The above is a lesson in geopolitics for my compatriots, many of whom continue to practice the centuries old strategy of seeking external assistance, while hollowing out local agency.

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Returning back home:

(Video to be inserted for context)

Forest fires in AJK are a daily occurrence and I have taken pains over the past 2 decades to explain to my co-citizens that there is no system of governance in the territory. 

It is not even being administered by anybody - evidence is abundant - and nature is crying out for relief. 

If we ignore nature, the latter will hit back hard. 

I thus propose emergency measures to be taken by the public of district Kotli, as that is where I originate from and I know plenty of nouveau riche of the district who have employed helicopters for their children's exuberant weddings. 

A man (or woman) is born, grows up, reaches old age and usually dies without hitting a century. 

Our trees take centuries to grow and the system of governance pre 1947 - despite its autocratic tendencies - had stringent laws to protect our forest cover. A normal man would struggle to walk through them on account of their density. 

If anybody in the district has an immediate and practical solution to eliminate the damage from forest fires then they should meet me at the district courts complex in Kotli tomorrow. 

If there is no such person or plan then I would suggest the public of district Kotli assist me in implementing such a plan forthwith. 

I am an independent action-oriented public policy researcher operating on the ground in AJK since April 2005.

I for one, cannot afford to witness further human-induced environmental calamities, destroy the most precious territory in the world. 

The essence of self-determination as enunciated in the UN Charter provides international legal grounding for the public of district Kotli to immediately address the decades old absence of an administration or government in the territory. 

JKA PUBLIC AGENCY Note: #EUPV203912062025

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Tuesday, 18 June 2024

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 170 of 2024

1400hrs:

Yesterday was perhaps the most relaxing day in the year, given it was Eid. The forest fires are not only consuming our environment, they are also consuming our souls. A friend mentioned yesterday evening that he witnessed a line of peacocks perched on the grill of a masjid on the main road in a nearby village crying. He came closer to them and could see their tears gushing out from their eyes. It appears that they had nestled some eggs in the forest and now that the forest was burned out, they were crying over losing their children.

We humans (living in the territory of AJK) are transgressors of the highest order as we remain inactive while seeing our forests ruined on a daily basis.

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Saturday, 8 June 2024

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 160 of 2024

1011hrs:

Woke at 0645hrs....getting better.

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Day 2 of our village to village campaign reference #AJKReferendum2023 took us to moza Narnaa:

 

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As the evening drew to a close, my heart also burned at this sight:


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Thursday, 21 March 2024

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 81 of 2024

1843hrs:

My form has dipped somewhat. I did get to sleep at 0200hrs and got up for Suhoor at 0430hrs. Went back to sleep at 0600hrs but didn't get up till 1600hrs. 12.5hrs of sleep altogether, just over double the necessary amount. Need to cut back obviously.

We were meant to spend the morning at various local government departments but couldn't and will now try to make up for our transgressions by working all the way through tonight and into the day tomorrow.

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Today being the international day of forests, it is a timely reminder of the tragedy of deforestation afflicting our territory:


One can have a closer look at the page above by visiting the following link: https://www.un.org/en/observances/forests-and-trees-day

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Our daily financial statement including public finance statistics, which will also feature permanently in due course:


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Friday, 26 January 2024

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 26 of 2024

1720hrs:

Brought my sleep pattern down to the required 6 hours. 

However, the alignment is still way out. 

Travelled to Dadyaal yesterday and engagement with others took us to 0330hrs this morning. I did get up by 0930hrs as there was much to do in Dadyaal before arriving back at Jammu Chowk Sehnsa at 1400hrs, for our 3rd weekly 'Public Court' or Awaami Adaalat'. 

We arrived late at 1450hrs after some complications which should have been avoided much earlier in the day. We are fortunate that the public was patiently waiting for us:


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Later at home:


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Wednesday, 21 September 2022

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 264 of 2022

1821hrs:

Day 108 at Maqbool Bhat Shaheed Square - Dadyaal.

0831hrs

My punctuality is at an equilibrium today. Another first! Neither a surplus or a deficit. 

Not only was I late today but by a significant amount! I haven't been so late in arriving since Day 86 at MBS Square when I was 28 minutes late, 22 days ago. In this period, I had only been late once and that by 38 seconds!

I don't factor in excuses at this mature stage of my struggle but I did sleep at c. 0500hrs this morning after completing work on a significant human rights issue.

Punctuality percentage: 61 days on time or early of 108 = 57% punctual (just about!)

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Day 9 on JKTV's daily Twitter Space at 9pm takes us to the 3rd major influencer of public policy - certainly in the context of AJK - namely 'Special Interest Groups':

Associated reference:

To understand the concept of 'Special Interest Groups' in AJK we can even cite the role of Pakistan in cultivating such groups here. They themselves are a domineering 'SIG' & this conversation with Raja Zafar ul Haq confirms that:  

Link

Space Count (That is: How many people have engaged so far): 56 (updated at 1645hrs on 24/09/2022) 

Average space count (9 days so far): 98
 
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Thieves caught red-handed in the darkness of night, or we can call it the early hours of the morning:

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Tuesday, 14 June 2022

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 165 of 2022

0656hrs:

Day 9 at Maqbool Bhat Shaheed Square - Dadyaal.


0756hrs

So, today was Day 9 of our 'Public Policy Workshop' between 0800hrs and 1000hrs at Maqbool Bhat Shaheed Square in Dadyaal.

In pursuit of realising the proverb, "the early bird gets the worm".

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We did consider it apt to make a video of how we're spending these 2 hours every day here:



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Students in Muzaffarabad stage a protest against the abundant forest fires raging throughout AJK, organised by Jammu Kashmir Mahaz-e-Istiqlal (JKMI):



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Friday, 10 June 2022

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 161 of 2022

0736hrs:

Day 5 at Maqbool Bhat Shaheed Square - Dadyaal.

0759hrs

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A few steps forward can be followed by a few steps back but we have to keep on driving ourselves forward. Its the overall journey that matters. 

Despite everything, today is Day 5 of our 2 hour 'Public Policy Workshop' - between 0800hrs and 1000hrs - at Maqbool Bhat Shaheed Square in Dadyaal. No interruptions or complications so far.

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Further disturbing news of intensifying occupation of AJK:

Translation of above tweet:

According to sources, the Pakistani navy and airforce have been alloted 6 kanaals (0.75 or 75% of an acre) of land for a resthouse in Sudhan Gali - Bagh, the province of Jammu in the State of Jammu Kashmir.

End of translation....

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Raging forest fires in AJK. The following example is of Pateeka:

 


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Thursday, 9 June 2022

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 160 of 2022

2139hrs:

Day 4 at Maqbool Bhat Shaheed Square - Dadyaal.

0806hrs

It was an early start today too but I couldn't write the entry in time before proceeding for my daily shift at Maqbool Bhat Shaheed Square in Dadyaal.

As with our sit-in public policy workshop at Shaheed Chowk (Martyr's Square) Kotli we continue to conduct our very own census data collection, while we wait for the UK Government to provide us with the last collected census records for this territory (when unified as a princely State) in 1941.

Here's Waheed Raja, who has spent almost 2 decades back home - here in Dadyaal - whereas hitherto he had been labouring in the United Kingdom. His saga is long but he's been in a constant fight to save his ancestral land. Some of it was subsumed by the Mangla reservoir project while other significant parts have been contested by a mixture of land mafia and the notoriously corrupt land revenue department.

Waheed Raja of Amb in Dadyaal

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It has rained this evening after many a day. All hail the Lord of the heavens.

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This example of uncontrollable forest fire in Smaahni has been raging for the past 2 months:


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Sunday, 1 May 2022

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 121 of 2022

2310hrs:

Break day 7 of district (Kotli) wide tour

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Towards clarity on neutrality:

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

 


Meanwhile, back in Sehnsa:


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Saturday, 30 April 2022

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 120 of 2022

2231hrs:

Break day 6 of district (Kotli) wide tour

We did try very hard to capture the remaining opinion (52 of 60 done) of the political workers from the 6 most prominent tribes in district Kotli, before the end of Ramadhan.

However, it wasn't possible.

We will now resume after Eid, which could be as soon as the day after tomorrow.

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This blaze has been ongoing for the past couple of days and is clearly visible from my home. Despite a fine burst of rain a couple of nights ago, the fire is yet to abate. This is yet another example (among thousands) of the absence of governance in AJK. One fire engine in the shape of a helicopter for the district would suffice to avert such tragedies. Alas, our people's priorities are either elsewhere or non existent:

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Thursday, 3 February 2022

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 34 of 2022

1018hrs:

Day 15 at Martyr's Square - Kotli - AJK

I know this process will speed up at any moment. Today, tomorrow or the day after. Rain has affected us again, from yesterday afternoon.

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A different platform. Jk Leaks is a Kotli based social media channel run by the indomitable Malik Zulfiqar Dogra:


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Elsewhere, in Falaakan, Neelam Valley the local public came face to face with terror when they tried to stop officials of the Department of Forestry in conjunction with members of the Pakistani army from felling trees in the region:


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Thursday, 27 June 2019

Daily Diary (DD) - Day 178 of 2019

1725hrs:

The past 4 days have been among the most interesting since 2005. It was always inevitable that there would be convergence or rather a venue of crossroads between the British, Indian, Pakistani and the internal narratives of Jammu & Kashmir. 

It is these internal narratives that have motivated and mobilised activists to put all personal interest at stake to promote public interest over the decades, despite structurally 'enjoying' subaltern status since 1947. 


The venue is Sharda.


Ramesh Kumar of PTI and on presumed deputation from the Pakistani prime minister, headed a 5 member delegation of Pakistan Hindu Council (PHC) to AJK (Muzaffarabad and Sharda) on Monday afternoon (24/06/19 - Day 175 of 2019). His visit was kept out of public reach and the news of the delegation's arrival didn't even break the social media barrier till almost 10pm that day:




I just happened to be in the AJK Department of Tourism's Secretary's office that afternoon. At first instance, it was felt important to arrange a meeting of AJK civil society with Dr. Ramesh and the rest of his delegation. 


This couldn't happen on that very day in Muzaffarabad, partly because the AJK PM has a knack of only meeting me when in opposition. He had invited the delegation to dinner in the evening and I wasn't 'privileged' enough to be among the 'guests'.


Through multiple levels of communication, it was agreed that a meeting be scheduled between the visiting delegation of PHC headed by Dr. Ramesh and civil society in Sharda at 1pm on the following day. 


Here's a summary of the meeting on Tuesday (25/06/19) at Army Camp Sharda, which eventually took place at around 4pm, though we didn't notify them of our arrival until about 2.45pm:




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Here are a series of embeds which cover the 3 day visit of the 5 member PHC delegation to AJK: 

A summary of proceedings by Ravinder Pandita - Head of 'Save Sharda Committee' (Regd.) and most actively persistent in opening Sharda from across the LOC:


Silent footage of the PHC delegation's visit to Sharda on Tuesday (Day 176 of 2019), remotely secured by prominent AJK journalist Amirudeen Mughal:


Leading AJK Archaeologist Dr. Rukhsana Khan's notes on the visit:


For those of you who can't read the text of the embed above, here it is:



Expert urges ‘broader and inclusive approach’ for opening Sharda Peeth

Assistant Professor University of Azad Jammu and Kasmir, Dr. Rukhsana Khan has said that Prime Minster of Pakistan Imran Khan has conferred a huge task of cross-LoC heritage tourism initiative to PTI MNA Dr. Ramesh Kumar Vankwani who recently visited Sharda to check the feasibility of the initiative. The initiative includes opening Sharda Peeth and other spiritual sites for Kashmiri origin Hindu Pandits and Muslims on both sides of LoC who want to visit shrines and their Holy places on either side of LoC, Dr. Khan told this correspondent after meeting with Dr. Vankwani and his delegation in before their departure for Sharda. According to Dr Khan, she was approached by the delegation of Pakistan Hindu Council and Evacuee Trust Property Board Government of Pakistan to take her input on various aspects of Sharda Peeth and other archaeological sites in AJK.

Delegation headed by Dr. Vankwani, who is also Patron in Chief of Pakistan Hindu Council, wanted to know the historical background, state of preservation, and aspects effecting the opening of Sharda and associated sites for heritage tourism. It is pertinent to mention here that Dr. Khan has extensively worked on heritage in conflict areas in Kashmir and its utilization for peace building. Moreover, Dr. Khan emphasized that earlier initiatives of trade and travel across the LoC have been suspended, and in these circumstances the prospects for cross LoC heritage tourism will remain fragile until the earlier peace initiatives are resumed and further strengthened. She said Sharda Peeth opening initiative must include broader and inclusive approach. PM AJK, and other stake holders must be taken on board and all communities, Pundits and Muslims across the LoC must be allowed to visit their respective revered sites in such heritage tourism initiatives.

End of embedded text...

The possibility of Sharda being discussed at the following meeting is possible, though I am trying to verify it from the British foreign office:




Finally, here are some thoughts shared by the incomparable AJK journalist Arif Urfi:


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Elsewhere, this is really positive:



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Whilst our attention is on Sharda, something else is happening under our noses:



Translated thus:


Source: Whatsapp Group Apna Poonchi Parivaar

AJK Government's lethal planning for tree felling (deforestation) in Neelam Valley

The AJK government has issued a tender to extract wood from 1 million square feet of forest in the Neelam Valley. Through lethal planning, at least 100,000 exquisite and expensive trees are being felled, which can only be described as a despicable act by the current government. In Neelam Valley, the status of tree felling is already in a shambles whereby the local people have been using the wood from trees for fuel (for cooking) or for construction. Meanwhile, the Department of Forestry has been relentlessly occupied in delivering these trees to their masters everywhere from Muzaffarabad to Karachi (in Pakistan).

Neelam Valley's Deodar - a very rare and valuable species of wood - is found here which is highly expensive (in the international market). Prior to this, a department by the name of AKLAS (Azad Kashmir Logs and Saw Mills Association) had been (officially) responsible for extracting this wood but it was abolished (as a department) last year. It so happens that this government department's former employees - despite promises and assurances - have not been issued with pensions. 

Some people object (to environmental activism) by posing the question as to where will the government generate its budget and cover its deficit? It should be said in this regard that just the annual revenue from Mangla dam is 450 arb (billion rupees) whilst at this moment Neelam-Jhelum (hydro project) is also running at full capacity.

Acting as an enemy of the forests of Neelam Valley is nothing new for the AJK government but is in fact a tradition (policy) maintained since decades. Whether its the civil bureaucracy of Pakistan or the (wood) mafia at large - all their houses are adorned with wood extracted from trees in the forests of Neelam - they are being used in the housing schemes of Bahria and DHA (Defence Housing Authority) in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. Last year I was in shock when a friend informed me that in Upper Neelam, 5,000 trees had been felled in just one night and when some journalists tried to raise their voice on this issue, they were forcibly silenced.

The forests of Neelam Valley have already been almost laid bare. The department of forestry is a powerful and influential institution, to the extent that the department's range officer is at times more powerful than a secretary of the AJK government. Despite that, there is no real effort being made to re-plant trees throughout the valley. On one hand, tree felling is hurting local industry and on the other hand the environment is at high risk. Wildlife is becoming extinct and landsliding has also become a more imminent danger.

At a local level, it is just the wood industry that has some functional status while the government gives scant attention to it. Indeed, instead of promoting this industry, the government extracts wood in abundance and then sells it at an inferior price in Pakistan. Some of it is even presented as gifts to their masters there. These activities are threatening the sole functioning industry within the State of AJK. The act of mass tree felling, has in the past few years not only diminished the availability of water in the region, the temperature is also gradually rising, which in turn is affecting the growth of local crops. 


The forests of Neelam Valley do not merely belong to the Neelam Valley, they act as a guarantor of the future of downstream areas including the rest of AJK, Punjab and Sindh (in Pakistan). This lethal planning of deforestation must be prevented at all costs, otherwise in just a few years time the forests will remain just in name (and not substance).        

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The following is important for the record:




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Daily Diary (DD) - Day 219 of 2026

0608hrs: I continue to stretch my energy levels at the age of 54, in order to bring you on-the-ground details and/or analysis of this pathet...