Azad Kashmir today

[Veer]

It is shameful how some Pakistanis talk about Kashmir issue when they have turned ghetto.

Aren't these people Muslims?

Now, they dream to make life of J&K people hell like Pakistani occupied Kashmir.

No wonder Kashmiri people are happy with India and participate in elections and army recruitment. Except few hired agent of ISI.

 

[dabong1]

Of the four million people who inhabit the region, nine of 10 live in extremely impoverished conditions in rural areas. Population growth is excessive, at 2.4 per cent per year, and the average house holds no fewer than seven people. Sadly, Azad Kashmir’s future is as murky today as it was in 1947. And the objective for its creation, the liberation of the vale of Kashmir, seems increasingly remote.

The above figures are flawed........i am from AJK and i can assure the writer we have a higher standard of living compared to the rest of pakistan,excluding the major cities.......even though mirpur city is on par with any pakistani city.

 

[Hammy007]

the writer seems to be more indian than a pakistani

under the shadow of nadeem f paracha and some authors like these ones its hard to tell whether dawn news is an indian newspaper or pakistani

 

[weaponx]

the writer seems to be more indian than a pakistani

under the shadow of nadeem f paracha and some authors like these ones its hard to tell whether dawn news is an indian newspaper or pakistani

what he says is truth..aint it???

look pakistan attacked kashmir in 1965 to occupy it..(operation gibraltor)..india responded by crossing the international line in punjab sector...and reached lahore suburbs....with that it put immense pressure on ur armed forces....coz the battle shifted from kashmir to lahore...u guys had to go from offensive to defensive....now u may claim pakistan fought valiantly....may be....but the truth of the matter is u failed in ur objectives..at the end of the war pakistan had captured 648 sq.km while india had captured 3885 sq.km....

so after all ayub's planning..pakistan couldnt complete any of its objectives...

 

[equiliz3r]

The above figures are flawed........i am from AJK and i can assure the writer we have a higher standard of living compared to the rest of pakistan,excluding the major cities.......even though mirpur city is on par with any pakistani city.

As per my understanding of the article .........the respected author has said 9 out of 10 in RURAL AREA..............he has not talked about Cities

And this is up in Pakistani news ................India cannot be blamed for the flawed numbers

 

[equiliz3r]

the writer seems to be more indian than a pakistani

under the shadow of nadeem f paracha and some authors like these ones its hard to tell whether dawn news is an indian newspaper or pakistani

Well media should be neutral...............I would like appreciate Dawn news in meeting the standard of true media .Showing both sides of coins.

Well..............I dont known why you bought NFP in it...............

 

[Materialistic]

I dont know whats the reason behind it but this topic bring false information. Azad kashmir has developed alot after it was merged with Pakistan and now specially after the devestating earthquake of 2005, it is being rebuild at the modern standards of other major Pakistani cities.


The Daily Mail - Daily News from Pakistan - Newspaper from Pakistan
Azad Kashmir Education, health projects

The current links belong to the delopment after the Earthquake, i will be posting more sources later, no time at the moment.

 

[Atheist]

Guys NFP into this article??? Come on NFP is the kind of author I as an Indian would love to see writing articles(I mean I wished he was an Indian writing for India) - One of the few Pakistanis I adore - not for his secular views but his portrayal of reality in a satirical way

 

[dabong1]

As per my understanding of the article .........the respected author has said 9 out of 10 in RURAL AREA..............he has not talked about Cities
And this is up in Pakistani news ................India cannot be blamed for the flawed numbers

I dont think everything the pak-indo media says is the absolute truth.
This might be a bit off topic but i recall a report in the the media where a report Commissioned by the Ministry of Women and Child Development found that 53% of indian children have suffrered sexual abuse http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/6539027.stm.........even though this report is by indians i dont belive it is true,common sense tells me this report must be flawed and i am pretty sure also that most people would agree.Now somebody telling me that 9 out 10 people in the rural areas of AJK live in "extremely impoverished conditions in rural areas" strikes me as as bit of strange number to come to.....what does mean he by "extremely impoverished conditions"?whats the criteria you have to fill to fall into the catagory of extremely impoverished conditions?
A few things come to mind..literacy rate...access to water....electrification...health ect.

Official Website of Planning and Development Department - AJK
Based upon the population census of 1998 and taking into account the annual increase, the current population is estimated at 3.513 million with roughly 88% living in rural areas. Population density is 270 per sq. km. against 187 in Pakistan. Northern AJ&K being mostly mountainous is economically under developed. Some areas have inadequate infrastructure and population is mostly dependent upon the rural economy & remittances from abroad......where not afraid at looking at our short comings.


From my understanding the literacy rate is between 62% to 73%
literacy rate in Azad Kashmir was 62% in 2004
Kashmir can fulfill Pakistan’s power needs: Atiq

Access to water
In the urban areas approximately 74% population has been provided piped water supply whereas an estimated 65% rural population gets water supply facilities through stand posts. The rural water supply is managed by the Local Government & Rural Development Department through community participation where entire operation & maintenance cost is born by the users.
Official Website of Planning and Development Department - AJK

From a personal point of view the houses and villages around my area have piped water and the building costs where fully paid for by the govt.


Electrification
Rural electrification has also been one of the major areas of thrust and almost 84% population of the area has been provided electricity
Official Website of Planning and Development Department - AJK

Health
Health has been another priority sector and at least one Basic Health Unit has been provided at the level of Union Council. However, the level of specialized health services in the area are not satisfactory because there is only one bed for 2092 persons in AJK as compared to a bed for 1310 at National level.(a point you can pick up on) However, EPI coverage in AJK is well over 89%. To improve the health facilities in the area, the Health Sector infrastructure is being upgraded and more facilities are being added.......if i can just add that at the present moment there are numerous projects taking place other then the govt ones where free healthcare is given and new hospitals are being built by people living abroad.

 

[toxic_pus]

^^ First you denounce 'Indo-Pak media'. Then you question government reports because 'common sense' tells that these 'must be flawed'. Then you go on to do everything that you have just declared as untrustworthy i.e cite official government web sites and media report.

A severe case of cognitive dissonance?

Anyway.

Baroness Emma Nocholson, the Vice-Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, visited Kashmir immediately after the tragic earthquake in Kashmir, in 2005. Her observations were passed as resolution at EU parliament in 2007. While the report is critical of both India and Pakistan, it doesn't exactly paint a rosy picture of P0K. Some excerpts:

'B. …much of Jammu and Kashmir, in particular Gilgit and Baltistan, suffers from extreme poverty and neglect, with enormous deficiencies in basic literacy and numeracy and in access to healthcare, a lack of democratic structures and major deficiencies in the rule of law and justice; and whereas the whole of Jammu and Kashmir suffers from exceptional economic decline.

2. Draws attention to the fact that India is the world's largest secular democracy and has devolved democratic structures at all levels, whereas Pakistan still lacks full implementation of democracy in AJK and has yet to take steps towards democracy in Gilgit and Baltistan…

3. ...stresses the overwhelming need for a secure and independent justice system to address the situation of the people of Pakistan and particularly those of AJK and Gilgit and Baltistan.

18. Regrets, however, that Pakistan has consistently failed to fulfill its obligations to introduce meaningful and representative democratic structures in AJK; notes in particular the continuing absence of Kashmiri representation in the Pakistan National Assembly, the fact that AJK is governed through the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs in Islamabad, that Pakistan officials dominate the Kashmir Council and that the Chief Secretary, the Inspector-General of Police, the Accountant-General and the Finance Secretary are all from Pakistan; disapproves of the provision in the 1974 Interim Constitution which forbids any political activity that is not in accordance with the doctrine of Jammu and Kashmir as part of Pakistan and obliges any candidate for a parliamentary seat in AJK to sign a declaration of loyalty to that effect; is concerned that the Gilgit-Baltistan region enjoys no form of democratic representation whatsoever; furthermore, draws attention to the fact that the Government of Pakistan’s 1961 Jammu and Kashmir (Administration of Property) Ordinance transferred the land controlled by Pakistan and which belonged to the State of Jammu and Kashmir on 15 August 1947 to the Federal Government;

19. Very much regrets the continuing ambivalence of the current Government of Pakistan with regard to the ethnic identity of Gilgit and Baltistan, whereby statements made by the President are contradicted by official government communications; strongly recommends that the Government of Pakistan endorse and implement the judgment of the Supreme Court of Pakistan of 28 May 1999 which validates the Kashmiri heritage of the people of Gilgit and Baltistan and states that the Government should implement their fundamental human rights, democratic freedoms and access to justice;

20. ...

- deeply regrets that the lack of a sufficient political will to address basic needs provision, political participation and the rule of law in AJK has left women there in a desperate situation following the earthquake;

- recalls the signature of the EC-Pakistan 3rd Generation Cooperation Agreement in 2001, Article 1 of which includes respect for human rights and democratic principles as an essential element, and urges the EU to play its part in upholding those principles when implementing the Agreement; is particularly concerned, therefore, that the people of Gilgit and Baltistan are under the direct rule of the military and enjoy no democracy;

- remains concerned about the difficult situation faced by all minorities throughout the region

22. Expresses concern regarding the lack of freedom of expression in AJK and reports of torture and mistreatment, of discrimination against refugees from Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir and of corruption amongst government officials, and calls on the Pakistani Government to ensure that the people of AJK can exercise their fundamental civil and political rights in an environment free from coercion and fear;

23. Further calls on Pakistan to ensure free and fair elections in AJK, considering that the general elections of 11 July 2006 were characterised by fraud and vote rigging on a massive scale, and that any candidate who refused to uphold the position of the accession of Kashmir to Pakistan was barred from running; also calls on Pakistan to hold elections for the first time in Gilgit and Baltistan;

41. Deplores documented human rights violations by Pakistan including in Gilgit and Baltistan, where allegedly violent riots took place in 2004, and the all too frequent incidents of terror and violence perpetrated by armed militant groups; urges Pakistan to revisit its concepts of the fundamental rights of freedom of expression, freedom of association and freedom of religious practice in AJK and Gilgit and Baltistan, and notes with concern allegations by human rights associations such as Amnesty International of torture and detention without due process; strongly urges all parties involved to do all they can to address these violations

60. Is appalled that the already minimal basic living conditions experienced in AJK before the earthquake (in terms of food, water, shelter, sanitation, schools and barely adequate health-centres) have been seriously affected as a consequence of the earthquake'

The report makes one curious observation.

'70. Regrets that the Pakistani Government insisted that all Indian labels be removed from the humanitarian aid delivered by India before it was distributed;'

The resolution can be read on-line HERE.

May be its time for kettles and pots to stop pointing fingers at each other.

 

[Shamlee]

Its shamful that such an absurd article appears in a news paper like Dawn. Look at the photo attached with the article. A blind eye can tell the location of the photo is indian occupied kashmir and not some place in azadkashmir. Look at the uniform of the police man. Does any body think its a uniform worn by police in azadkashmir. Moreover, people in azadkashmir are living a better life than many in Pakistan. Its a shame that no one is taking any action against dawn for publishing such a blunder.

 

[blueoval79]

[video=metacafe;4108961/kashmir_news_a_look_at_miseries_in_pakistan_admini]http://www.metacafe.com/watch/4108961/kashmir_news_a_look_at_miseries_in_pakistan_admini stered_kashmir/[/video]

 

[blueoval79]

[video=metacafe;4108979/kashmir_news_pakistan_evicts_earthquake_victims_fr]http://www.metacafe.com/watch/4108979/kashmir_news_pakistan_evicts_earthquake_victims_fr om_rehabilitation_camps/[/video]

 

[MilesTogo]

 

[MilesTogo]