2304hrs:
Stop. Start, stop. Start...stop. Fed up! Start....eventually some work was completed...towards developing consensus on a citizen's charter.
Wednesday, 29 August 2018
Tuesday, 28 August 2018
Monday, 27 August 2018
Daily Diary (DD) - Day 239 of 2018
2339hrs:
I heard of a relative dying of snakebite in 1975 in our village in Sehnsa.
I went to a funeral today of an 18 year old, bitten by a snake last night, in Dadyaal.
Tabdeeli (Change) is what we want to become.
I heard of a relative dying of snakebite in 1975 in our village in Sehnsa.
I went to a funeral today of an 18 year old, bitten by a snake last night, in Dadyaal.
Tabdeeli (Change) is what we want to become.
Friday, 24 August 2018
Daily Diary (DD) - Day 236 of 2018
2226hrs:
An even stuffier Dadyaal...The heat from the laptop fan makes it all the more unbearable.
An even stuffier Dadyaal...The heat from the laptop fan makes it all the more unbearable.
Thursday, 23 August 2018
Daily Diary (DD) - Day 235 of 2018
2355hrs:
Another day of rest in Mirpur.......the heat is simply unbearable having just spent over 2 months in Rawalakot.
Another day of rest in Mirpur.......the heat is simply unbearable having just spent over 2 months in Rawalakot.
Wednesday, 22 August 2018
Tuesday, 21 August 2018
Daily Diary (DD) - Day 233 of 2018
2352hrs:
Slept from 0100hrs to about 1800hrs today.....felt very refreshed for the rest of the evening.
Slept from 0100hrs to about 1800hrs today.....felt very refreshed for the rest of the evening.
Monday, 20 August 2018
Daily Diary (DD) - Day 232 of 2018
0932hrs:
I was flying between Kotli and Mirpur yesterday evening; between 9pm and into the 1st hour today. This flight was unlike most flights that the modern traveller is accustomed to.
I was sitting on the roof of a bus whose ultimate destination was Lahore, that great mughal city otherwise described as the heart of Pakistan. I did try and post a blog entry while avoiding the odd tree branch or electricity wire dangling from its pole, perilously close to the heads of us (my fellow passengers and I).
Mahmood Ahmed Musafir is into his 99th day outside Islamabad Press Club. I've got to do a bit of admin for him today. Let's see what transpires...
I was flying between Kotli and Mirpur yesterday evening; between 9pm and into the 1st hour today. This flight was unlike most flights that the modern traveller is accustomed to.
I was sitting on the roof of a bus whose ultimate destination was Lahore, that great mughal city otherwise described as the heart of Pakistan. I did try and post a blog entry while avoiding the odd tree branch or electricity wire dangling from its pole, perilously close to the heads of us (my fellow passengers and I).
Mahmood Ahmed Musafir is into his 99th day outside Islamabad Press Club. I've got to do a bit of admin for him today. Let's see what transpires...
Saturday, 18 August 2018
Friday, 17 August 2018
Daily Diary (DD) - Day 229 of 2018
2309hrs:
One of the many things that I have yet to discuss on this blog is the abysmal quality of food that we have to import from Pakistan.
It isn't so palpable when we eat at home or as a guest at somebody else's home. However, when you're eating in the bazaar - day in day out - as I have been doing in Rawalakot for the past couple of months, you notice it with increasing intensity with every meal.
Water - despite living in a region with possibly the highest ratio of fresh water (per capita) in the world, most - if not all - our urban centres in AJK are finding it increasingly difficult to provide uncontaminated water to their populations. Waterborne diseases are approaching epidemic proportions in some cities.
Salt - processed salt is what we use and its a killer.
Oil/Ghee - In the Dogra Era, importing oil or ghee was illegal and a lot of state resources were devoted to ensure compliance. We import oil and ghee from our neighbouring country. They in turn are apparently the world's largest importer of used oil. What is supplied here doesn't undergo any kind of scrutiny for its quality. We have no idea what we are buying!
Wheat flour - The rotis we eat in bazaars have very low wheat content. Some investigations have found evidence of plastic being used.
Spices - Most spices used in hotels/restaurants here are powdered versions and just like processed salt, they edge us towards ill-health.
Living in a territory with such a sublime natural environment that facilitates optimum health is juxtaposed with a burgeoning private health sector, that compels many of our poverty-stricken citizens to take loans to try and recover what remains of their health.
AJK is a land - which due to the absence of governance - has been converted:
- From a natural health resort to a sick society.
- From a potential global knowledge hub to an illiterate society.
- From a central trade route to an economic black hole.
It is these imposed contrasts which motivate us to work for change in our society. The more we learn about our people's baffling paralysis, the more determined we become to resolve this totally un-necessary dilemma.
One of the many things that I have yet to discuss on this blog is the abysmal quality of food that we have to import from Pakistan.
It isn't so palpable when we eat at home or as a guest at somebody else's home. However, when you're eating in the bazaar - day in day out - as I have been doing in Rawalakot for the past couple of months, you notice it with increasing intensity with every meal.
Water - despite living in a region with possibly the highest ratio of fresh water (per capita) in the world, most - if not all - our urban centres in AJK are finding it increasingly difficult to provide uncontaminated water to their populations. Waterborne diseases are approaching epidemic proportions in some cities.
Salt - processed salt is what we use and its a killer.
Oil/Ghee - In the Dogra Era, importing oil or ghee was illegal and a lot of state resources were devoted to ensure compliance. We import oil and ghee from our neighbouring country. They in turn are apparently the world's largest importer of used oil. What is supplied here doesn't undergo any kind of scrutiny for its quality. We have no idea what we are buying!
Wheat flour - The rotis we eat in bazaars have very low wheat content. Some investigations have found evidence of plastic being used.
Spices - Most spices used in hotels/restaurants here are powdered versions and just like processed salt, they edge us towards ill-health.
Living in a territory with such a sublime natural environment that facilitates optimum health is juxtaposed with a burgeoning private health sector, that compels many of our poverty-stricken citizens to take loans to try and recover what remains of their health.
AJK is a land - which due to the absence of governance - has been converted:
- From a natural health resort to a sick society.
- From a potential global knowledge hub to an illiterate society.
- From a central trade route to an economic black hole.
It is these imposed contrasts which motivate us to work for change in our society. The more we learn about our people's baffling paralysis, the more determined we become to resolve this totally un-necessary dilemma.
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