A MONTHLY NEWS DIGEST ON PAKISTAN OCCUPIED KASHMIR Volume 2 Number 2 February 2009 • Commentary Pakistan’s Water Wars With India- P. Stobdan • Political Developments Change of Government in Azad Kashmir Portfolios of 23 Member AJK Cabinet Announced Gilgit Baltistan to Have Representation in Kashmir Committee • Economic Developments Trans LoC Trade Rising Despite Pak-India Tensions Northern Areas Traders Want Ancient Trade Routes Reopened • International Developments MQM’s Ideology Accepted in Pakistan • Other Developments Efforts Being Made to Restore Electricity in Gilgit: WAPDA Lord Nazir Ahmed Meets President Asif Ali Zardari To Shift MSBMC POK NEWS DIGEST INSTITUTE FOR DEFENCE STUDIES AND ANALYSES No. 1, Development Enclave, Rao Tula Ram Marg New Delhi-110 010 Compiled by Dr Priyanka Singh
Transcript
February 2009 1
A MONTHLY NEWS DIGEST ON PAKISTAN OCCUPIED KASHMIR
Volume 2 Number 2 February 2009
• Commentary
Pakistan’s Water Wars With India- P. Stobdan
• Political Developments
Change of Government in Azad Kashmir
Portfolios of 23 Member AJK Cabinet Announced
Gilgit Baltistan to Have Representation inKashmir Committee
• Economic Developments
Trans LoC Trade Rising Despite Pak-IndiaTensions
Northern Areas Traders Want Ancient TradeRoutes Reopened
• International Developments
MQM’s Ideology Accepted in Pakistan
• Other Developments
Efforts Being Made to Restore Electricity inGilgit: WAPDA
Lord Nazir Ahmed Meets President Asif AliZardari To Shift MSBMC
POK NEWS DIGEST
INSTITUTE FOR DEFENCE STUDIES AND ANALYSESNo. 1, Development Enclave, Rao Tula Ram Marg
New Delhi-110 010
Compiled by
Dr Priyanka Singh
February 2009 2
Jammu & Kashmir
(Source: Based on the Survey of India Map, Govt of India 2000 )
February 2009 3
About this IssueThe issue is flooded with reports about the change in the ‘AJK’ government after a brief periodof uncertainty. Sardar Mohammed Yaqoob Khan replaced Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan as thenew prime minister of ‘AJK.’ Earlier, the incumbent government was toppled by a vote of noconfidence on charges of irregularities. The new cabinet was sworn in and their portfolios weredistributed.
Amongst the economic developments, there is interesting news about how the small local tradersare thriving with the inflow of Chinese goods in the Northern Areas via the Karakoram Highway.For obvious reasons the traders in the region have demanded the opening of ancient trade routeswhich could allow trade not only with China but with some Central Asian Republics also.
There is acute shortage of power in Gilgit- Baltistan as indicated in some reports under ‘OtherDevelopments.’ The concerned authority, WAPDA plans to rid the area from power shortage inanother three years time i.e. by 2011. Meanwhile, the industries are badly hit by load sheddingfor long hours.
The issue includes a commentary titled, “ Pakistan’s Water Wars With India” written by ProfessorP. Stobdan. The article talks about the persisitent Indo-Pak water disputes in the light of PresidentZardari’s article published in Washington Post on January 28, 2009.
Priyanka Singh
February 2009 4
CommentaryPakistan’s Water Wars with India?
P. Stobdan
In a surprise move, Pakistan has once gain spawnedthe water issue on a political fast-track against India.On January 28, 2009, Pakistan President Asif AliZardari in an article in Washington Post describedwater as a major issue between Pakistan and India.While congratulating the new US President BarackObama, Zardari pleaded the US to re-hyphenatePakistan with India on a number of accounts includingthe water crisis which he thought was fraught withserious consequences not only for environmentalcatastrophe, but also for fuelling extremism andterrorism in South Asia. He applauded Obama’sdesire to engage Pakistan and India to defuse thetensions in South Asia.
Why bring the water issue now? There could betwo main reasons for it. Firstly, Pakistan is disturbedat being clubbed with Afghanistan as a troubled state,especially with Richard Holbrooke’s appointmentas a special representative for Afghanistan andPakistan. The direction by the Secretary of StateHillary Clinton emphasized on the importance of “anintegrated strategy” that treats the problems ofAfghanistan and Pakistan as a single whole is adisturbing thing for Islamabad. Clinton intends to givea sharp focus on Pakistan and Afghanistan bymobilizing US allies and friends from around theworld to stir up the faltering war on terror.
In the op-ed piece Asif Ali Zardari urged Obama toexpand special emissary Richard Holbrooke’s briefto include Kashmir and other disputes between Indiaand Pakistan. He wrote “Much as the Palestinianissue remains the core obstacle to peace in theMiddle East, the question of Kashmir must beaddressed in some meaningful way to bring stabilityto this region.”
He reminded the US that the situation in Pakistan,Afghanistan and India is indeed critical, but said thatits severity actually presents an opportunity foraggressive and innovative action. He wrote that “thespecial envoy will work with India and Pakistan notonly to bring a just and reasonable resolution to the
issues of Kashmir and Jammu but also to addresscritical economic and environmental concerns.”
Secondly, Pakistan wants to divert the world’sattention away from focus on terrorism in whichIslamabad had landed itself up after 26/11 Mumbaiattack. The world’s pressure on Pakistan to ownthe 26/11 responsibility has tarnished Pakistan’sinternational image as the real epicenter of terrorism.By raising the water issue, Pakistan wants to conveythe point that it is not its professed ideology andfanaticism but water resources that fuel the fires ofdiscontent among its people and in turn breadsextremism and terrorism. Pakistan’s own mediareports suggest that the water issue vis-à-vis Indiaare being raised by the agencies other than thePakistan Indus Waters Commission. Pakistan’sposition is that India is violating the Indus WatersTreaty’s provisions by reducing the flow in theChenab river at the Maralla headwork havingadverse impact on the loss of cropped areas inLahore, Kasur, Okara, Sialkot, Hafizabad,Sheikhupura, Faisalabad and Jhang districts.Besides, Pakistan claimed that the flow would causeearly depletion of water reserves at Mangla dam.Pakistan threatens to write letters to Muslimcountries, the members of the Friends of Pakistanforum and Britain to draw their attention to the issue.
It appears that Pakistan is keen to make water asthe next catalyst for conflict with India. This isnotwithstanding the fact that India and Pakistansigned the Indus Water Treaty way back in 1960s,which has been adhered to by India withouttempering it despite several wars between India andPakistan. The Treaty is being cited as a uniqueexample of water-sharing mechanism in the world.
Two things have emerged clearly from Pakistan’srenewed attempt to raise the water issue. Firstly, itis clear that Pakistan is unlikely to come to termswith India even if the Kashmir issue is brought toany satisfactory solution. Those who believe thatKashmir is the only dispute between India andPakistan are highly mistaken. Pakistan has been
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propagating throughout that the question of Kashmiris the only key to India – Pakistan relations.
Secondly, it is also now clear that Pakistan hasactually been eyeing for Kashmir’s environmentalresources rather than seriously thinking about theactual life and destiny of Kashmiri people.Islamabad’s plea to Ambassador Holbrooke wasto address critical economic and environmentalconcerns, but the failure to do so, according toZardari could ‘fuel the fires of discontent that leadto extremism and terrorism’ comes as a sternwarning.
Pakistan wants to change the rule of the game. IsIndia ready for it?
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Political Developments“Change of government in Azad Kashmir,”
Editorial, Daily times, January 08, 2009
The ruling Muslim Conference in Azad Jammu &Kashmir (AJK) h split in Muzaffarabad and replacedPrime Minister Sardar Attique Ahmed with SardarMuhammad Yaqub following a no-confidence votebased on allegations of “corruption and nepotism”.As expected, Sardar Attique left after accusing thefederal government of interfering in the politics ofAzad Kashmir, warning it of instability in the region.It is the Muslim Conference that has split, so it isdifficult to see how the federal government couldhave engineered Sardar Sahib’s fall. Yet there couldhave been a tipping over the precipice when thingswere getting rough for him. It is true that all theopposition participated in the ouster vote, including7 of AJKPP, 4 of Muslim League and 2 of MQM.The rest of the 32 out of a house 46 were his ownmen who are tired of his leadership for variousreasons.
( h t t p : / / w w w . d a i l y t i m e s . c o m . p k /default.asp?page=2009%5C01%5C08%5Cstory_8-1-2009_pg3_1)
MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu andKashmir Legislative Assembly approved a vote ofno-confidence against Prime Minister Sardar AttiqueAhmed Khan on January 06 by a big majority.Following his defeat, Sardar Mohammad YaqoobKhan was sworn in as the eighth prime minister ofthe state. As the AJK Constitution makes itmandatory to name the successor of the incumbent,Yaqoob Khan became the new Leader of the Houseafter the motion was supported by 32 of the 46members present in the assembly. Two memberswere absent.
Sardar Yaqoob, 56, was administered oath byPresident Raja Zulqarnain Khan.
(http://www.dawn.com/2009/01/07/top7.htm)
“No mid term polls in AJK: Yaqoob”
MUZAFFARABAD: Prime Minister of Azad Jammuand Kashmir Sardar Yaqoob Khan ruled out anymid term elections in the state saying the legislativeassembly will complete its constitutional term. TheAJK premier also said that his government will toethe line of the Pakistani government vis-a-vis Kashmirissue and would not drain the exchequer onunnecessary foreign tours in the name of highlightingthe Kashmir cause. He blamed former Prime MinisterSardar Attique Ahmed for the division of rulingMuslim conference. “Sardar Attique Ahmed Khanheaded party and government dictatorially as he wasthe aide of former dictator General Pervez Musharrafand he himself was solely responsible for the removalof his regime” he observed.
( h t t p : / / w w w . k a s h m i r w a t c h . c o m /showexclusives.php?subaction =showfull&id=1232131229&archive=&start_from=&ucat=15&var1news=value1news)
“Deputy Speaker voted out of AJKassembly,” Daily Times, January 18, 2009
MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu andKashmir (AJK) Constituent Assembly on January17 passed a no-confidence motion against DeputySpeaker Sardar Farooq Ahmed Tahir with 30 votesout of 47. The special session was chaired by AJKAssembly Speaker Shah Ghulam Qadir. Memberof the AJK assembly and minister in AJK coalitiongovernment, Muhammad Tahir Khokhar submitteda no-confidence resolution against the deputyspeaker. All the members of the coalition governmentvoted while the opposition abstained. The newlyelected Prime Minister of AJK Sardar MuhammadYaqoob Khan said he would consult the coalitionpartners before taking important decisions and alsotake guidance from the opposition leader.
( h t t p : / / w w w . d a i l y t i m e s . c o m . p k /default.asp?page=2009%5C01%5C18%5Cstory_18-1-2009_pg7_8)
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“AJK cabinet gets 12 new ministers,” DailyTimes, January 25, 2009
ISLAMABAD: Twelve more ministers of AzadKashmir cabinet took oath on January 24, raisingthe number of the cabinet members to 23. AzadKashmir President Raja Zulqarnain Khanadministered the oath in a ceremony held at KashmirHouse, which was attended by AJK Prime MinisterSardar Yaqoob Khan, AJK Legislative AssemblySpeaker Shah Ghulam Qadir and parliamentaryleaders of coalition parties, members of the AJKLegislative Assembly and bureaucrats. The newly-inducted ministers are Chaudhry Muhammad Aziz,Muhammad Aziz Hanif Awan, Sardar MuhammadNaeem Khan, Major (r) Yousuf Dad Khan, Ali ShanSoni, Chaudhry Rukhsar Ahmad, Raja MuhammadSiddique, Chaudhry Muhammad Siddique Batli,Akbar Ibrahim, Dewan Mohiuddin, Shaukat AliShah and Chaudhry Latif Akbar.
( h t t p : / / w w w . d a i l y t i m e s . c o m . p k /default.asp?page=2009%5C01%5C25%5Cstory_25-1-2009_pg7_2)
“Portfolios of 23 member AJK cabinetannounced”
MUZAFFARABAD: The portfolios of 23-membercabinet of Azad Kashmir Government wereannounced and department of Services and GeneralAdministration issued the notification in this regard.According to the notification, Mian Abdul Waheedhas been given the charge of Forest Department,Begum Noreen Arif (Social Welfare and WomenDevelopment), Tahir Khokhar (Tourism, Sports,Culture and Youth Affairs), Dr. Mehmood Riaz(Electricity), Muhammad Hanif Awan (Zakat, Ushrand City Development), Chaudhary MuhammadRashid (Hydro Electric Board and Religious Affairs),Chaudhary Latif Akbar (Revenue, Planning andDevelopment), Col (retd) Naseem Khan(Construction and Highways), Sardar Qamar-uz-Zaman Khan (Health), Chaudhary Muhammad Aziz(Education, School and IT Board), Sardar NaeemKhan (Education, Colleges and Small Industries),Raja Nisar Ahmed Khan (Law, Justice andParliamentary Affairs), Major (retd) Munsaf Dad
Khan (Agriculture and Irrigation), ChaudharyMuhammad Yousuf (Mangla Dam Affairs andCooperative Fisheries), Chaudhary Rukhsar Ahmed(Revenue Department), Chaudhary Anwar-ul-Haq(Physical Planning, Housing and Public Health),Chaudhary Ali Shan (Jails), Abdul Majid Khan(Information), Raja Muhammad Siddique (CivilDefence and Transport), Syed Shaukat Shah (Food),Chaudhary Akbar Ibrahim (Rehabilitation), GhulamDeewan Moinuddin (Industries and Trade) andMuhammad Sadique Batli (Auqaf and Council ofIslamic Ideology).
“Plight of the People of Balawaristan,”Balawaristantimes, January 26, 2009
Balawaristan National Front (BNF) Chairman,Abdul Hamid Khan stated that Balawaristan(Pakistan Occupied Gilgit Baltistan) is a disputedpart of Jammu & Kashmir, which is also the mostdeprived and neglected part of the world. Speakingat the Brussels conference, he said, “I am taking thisopportunity to introduce my country Balawaristanand enlighten you that geographically the regionoccupies strategic significance in the periphery ofPakistan under its control known as Northern Areas,but historically known as Brooshaal/Bloristan,Dardistan or Gilgit Baltistan, we call it Balawaristan.We also reserve our right over Pakistan occupiedChitral and Shenaki Kohistan, China occupiedShimashaal and Ladakh (including Aksai-Chin),which are part of Balawaristan.”
Weeks after it began a crackdown on the Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Jamaat-ud-Daawa which is affiliatedwith it, the Punjab government seems to have movedin for what seems like the kill. An administrator hasbeen appointed to oversee all the institutions run bythe now-banned including the hospitals, schools and
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other welfare bodies it operated. Crucially, the JuD’ssprawling headquarters at Muridke have finally beentaken over. This complex included the organization’smain offices. In the past, organized training had alsobeen imparted here, but these activities were movedto Azad Kashmir after a 2002 ban on the LeT. Apolice post has been set up outside the JuDheadquarters. The Punjab administration has saidthe move was delayed because of the ‘complexities’involved. Insiders say this is a reference to clearancefrom senior figures in various positions of power.The decisive action would seem to imply that thePakistani government does indeed have someevidence of the LeT’s involvement in the Mumbaiattacks. The moves against it, in December last year,began after angry Indian finger-pointing towards theorganization as the group behind the Mumbaiattacks. It is assumed there must be at least someproof of this in the files handed over to Islamabadby New Delhi. Going by logic, we must reason theauthorities acted on the basis of solid information.
Kashmir Declaration to be issued,” PakistanObserver, January 22, 2009
ISLAMABAD: An All Parties Ad hoc Committeeon Kashmiri Peoples’ Right to Self-determinationwas set to meet on January 23 to deliberate andissue a joint Kashmir Declaration containing thecombined resolve of Kashmiris to re-activate theirpolitical role at the national and international levelsfor the implementation of right to self-determinationby the global community.
Mr Amanullah Khan, Convener of the Committee,has invited 15 Kashmiri political and religious partiesto discuss intensively all aspects of the Kashmirdispute in the light of the evolving international andregional scenarios. The Ad hoc Committee is thecommon platform of the Kashmiri political andreligious parties to move forward in unison forenergizing the global community for Kashmiris rightto self-determination.
The Convener Mr Amanullah Khan also stated that“a new awareness” on the international level isemerging regarding Kashmir solution. “It is propertime for the Kashmiri political parties representingall shades of Kashmiri opinion to sit together anddiscuss about ways to draw world attention towardsthe right to self-determination aspect of the Kashmirdispute.”
“Zardari, AJK Prime Minister discusspolitical situation”
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister of Azad Jammu andKashmir Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan onSaturday called on President Asif Ali Zardariand exchanged views on the political situation in AJK.Appreciating the Kashmir policy of Pakistan, theAJK Prime Minister said it would help move forwardthe process of Kashmir-related dialogue betweenIndia and Pakistan. President Zardari said Pakistanhad always been committed to extend political, moraland diplomatic support to the people of Kashmir intheir struggle for their right to self-determination.Qamar Zaman Kaira, Federal Minister for KANAwas also present during the meeting.
“President PPP AJK vows to recover lootedmoney from Sardar Attique,” Regional
Times, January 19, 2009
MUZAFFARABAD: President Pakistan PeoplesParty (PPP) Azad Jammu and Kashmir, ChaudhryAbdul Majeed has said that the demand to hold newelections has been cancelled keeping in view thecurrent circumstances, adding that, money lootedby former Prime Minister AJK, Sardar AttiqueAhmed Khan would be recovered. While addressingthe Press in Central Press Club on January 18, hesaid, “We have joined coalition Government in AJKby removing Musharraf ’s remnants.” Thegovernment, he said, would complete its tenure. “Wehave toppled the Government of former Prime
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Minister Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan throughdemocratic ways while Federal Government had norole in no-trust move against him, he further added.
“NALA passes three resolutions,” HunzaTimes, January 20, 2009
The Northern Areas Legislative Assembly approvedthree resolutions on the fourth day of its proceedingshere on January 19. The session was later adjourned.The first resolution moved by Fida MohammadNashad urged the government to follow itsmethodology as practiced in rest of the country inGilgit-Baltistan too. Speaker Malik MohammadMiskeen referred the resolution to the house fordebate and PPP’s Fidaullah Advocate and AftabAhmed recommended some changes after which itwas passed unanimously. Hafizur Rehman presenteda resolution criticizing the suspension of senior forestofficials and termed it a sheer violation of law. Hesaid people in Islamabad should respect publicsentiments before taking such decisions. In anotherresolution, Mr Rehman condemned the Mumbaiincident.
“Gilgit Baltistan: War is Forbidden AlongBorders,” January 12, 2009
Below is a statement made by Manzoor HussainParwana, Chairman of the Gilgit BaltistanUnited Movement which is part of the GilgitBaltistan Democratic Alliance, and a UNPO(Unrepresented Nations and PeoplesOrganization) member as of September 2008
“War is not the solution of the problem so Pakistanand India should stop thinking of defeating each otherin the war field. We won’t allow any body to makeGilgit Baltistan a war field. If Pakistan and India tryto make our region as battled field then we willcompel to invite international community to intervenein the matter”. This was stated by Manzoor Hussain
Parwana, Chairman Gilgit Baltistan UnitedMovement while addressing a press conference atSkardu. Parwana was concerned that some peopleshave been issuing statements to the local press thatthey will fight along with the armed forces. They donot know the distraction of the war. He demandedthe government to stop emotional blackmailing ofthe astute mass of the region in the name of religion.“We are neither part of India nor Pakistan so whyshould we give our lives for the mere fulfillment ofthe ill will agendas of either of the both,” he added.He said the region can be brought in parallel withthe developed nations of the world if the mineralsand natural resources of the region are fully utilized.
(http://www.unpo.org/content/view/9080/254/)
“Gilgit-Baltistan to have representation inKashmir Committee,” January 10, 2009
GILGIT: Gilgit Baltistan would have representationin Kashmir Committee and in this regard, names oftwo members would be notified shortly. Accordingto official sources, Northern Areas administrationhas received two names from the federal governmentand the members are likely to be included in thecommittee.
( h t t p : / / w w w . k a s h m i r w a t c h . c o m /showheadlines.php?subaction=showfull&id=1231698797&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1&var0news=value0news)
“Political heads of development authorities& civic institutions across AJK removed,”Associated Press of Pakistan, January 07,
2009
MIRPUR: Newly elected Prime Minister of AJK,Sardar Yaqoob Khan led government removed allthe political heads including chairmen of thedevelopment authorities and administrators of thecivic institutions across Azad Jammu & Kashmir onJanuary 06.
A senior AJK government official stated thatDivisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissionersand Assistant Commissions of the concerneddivisions, districts and the sub divisions have been
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assigned additional charges as heads of thedevelopment authorities, Municipal Corporationsand Municipal Committees of their concernedareas.
Following the orders of the new AJK government,the Divisional Commissioners, DeputyCommissioners and ACs have taken over theadditional charge as heads of the developmentauthorities and civic institutions of their concerneddistricts.
( h t t p : / / w w w . a p p . c o m . p k / e n _ /index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=64247&Itemid=2)
“APHC-AJK hold demonstration in front ofUN observers office,” January 05, 2009
ISLAMABAD: The All Parties Hurriyat ConferenceAzad Jammu and Kashmir Chapter, held a protestdemonstration and sit-in at the office of the UnitedNations Observers Office on January 05, on theoccasion of “Self-Determination Day.” Members ofAPHC-AJK chapter and leaders of political partieswere present on the occasion.
“Pakistani investigators find Mumbai link:WSJ,” Daily Times, January 01, 2009
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani investigators haveunearthed substantive links between the gunmen whoattacked Mumbai in November and the bannedLashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) group, as reported by theWall Street Journal. The newspaper said in an onlinereport on December 31, 2008 that at least one topLeT leader, Zarar Shah, captured in a raid early thismonth in Azad Kashmir, had confessed to the group’sinvolvement in the attack. Shah’s admission wasbacked up by US intercepts of a telephone callbetween Shah and one of the attackers during theassault, the Pakistani security official stated.
( h t t p : / / w w w . d a i l y t i m e s . c o m . p k /default.asp?page=2009%5C01%5C01%5Cstory_1-1-2009_pg1_6)
“Appointment of SAC chief aimed tosuppress people’s voice: GBUM,” January
27, 2009
“The rulers of Pakistan are hell-bent on strengtheningthe roots of colonial system of governance in GilgitBaltistan but the voice for self-rule rising against theunjust and cruel means of the rulers is indicative of abig nationalist revolution in the region.”
These views were expressed by Chairman GilgitBaltistan United Movement while reacting to theappointment of an ex-Supreme Court of Pakistanjudge as the chief of the Supreme Appellate Court(SAC) of Gilgit Baltistan. Manzoor Hussain Parwanasaid the appointment of a non-local, retired and aboveall a PCO judge as chief of the SAC was a jokewith the people of Gilgit Baltistan.
Such step illustrates the intention of colonial mastersto safeguard the imposing system in the region andsuppress the rising voice of the masses for their basiclegitimate rights and prolong the de-facto control.The appointment of the outsider and a retired judgeon the post ignoring the adequate and indigenousjudge had also exposed the hollow claims ofgovernment to give the local people a democraticsetup, he added He announced to launch a movementfor attaining the basic rights of the local people andcall the masses to join hand with nationalist movementto resist against the illegal appointment of the non-local judge in the region.
Issued By, Gilgit Baltistan United Movement, SkarduBaltistan
Economic DevelopmentsErshad Mahmud, “Across the Line,” Hunza
Times, January 18, 2009
Not with standing the constitutional and politicalwrangling, many socio-economic developments aretaking place in Gilgit. Gilgit city is getting moremodernized and developed with new roads,buildings, mobile phone companies, etc. TheKarakorum Highway has truly transformed the livesof the people living in these areas. Sharing his personalexperience, the President of the Northern AreasChamber of Commerce and a prominent trader, HajiMohammad Hussain stated, “Until 1984, I myselfused to wear plastic-made shoes and spend thewhole day standing in queue to obtain rationed sugarand a canister of ghee. I started a business on smallscale when trade was opened with China throughthe Karakorum Highway. Today, I run a big businessand each year do business worth millions of rupees.”One can single out several persons who have becomemillionaires in recent times, mainly because of tradewith China. Wood selling to the urban areas of thecountry is also one of the major income generationsources. The credit for this economic turn-aroundalso goes to the Aga Khan Foundation and manyother non-governmental organizations that havelaunched several income generation projects for thelocal people. A great number of lucrative jobs havebeen created for the local educated people.
“Northern Areas traders want ancient traderoutes reopened,” Hunza Times, January 29,
2009
The Northern Areas traders have asked thegovernment to reopen the Skardu-Kargil and Astor-Srinagar roads and wind up operations of theCustoms Department in the region. They also calledfor allowing access of the Northern Areas toTajikistan via Wakhan Corridor to harness the tradepotential of the area to the full. These demands weresubmitted by a delegation of the Northern AreasChamber of Commerce and Industry to the federalgovernment.
A delegation of the chamber, headed by its president,Javed Hussain, called on Minister for Kashmir andNorthern Areas Affairs (KANA), Qamar ZamanKaira and presented before him a list of demandsthat includes keeping the KKH open round the yearand calling back the Federal Bureau of Revenue(FBR) staff from Northern Areas.
Javed Hussain further stated that in principle Pakistangovernment could not impose any tax without givingrepresentation to the people of Northern Areas inthe Parliament. He cited the Supreme Court ofPakistan verdict of 1998, according to which thegovernment could not levy tax on the people of theregion without giving them basic democratic andother rights as enjoyed by other citizens of Pakistan.
SRINAGAR: A delegation of fruit growersassociation met Chief Minister Omar Abdullah onJanuary 14 to seek an end to problems facing themand get their visit of Pakistan occupied Kashmirthrough. The delegation of fruit growers associationmet Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in protest of theGovernor’s administrations failure to addressproblems facing them, after snapping trade ties withtheir counter parts in Pakistan
“We are meeting Chief Minister Omar Abdullah forallowing us to pay a visit to Pakistan occupiedKashmir and also ease the other hurdles in the tradeties between two parts of Kashmir,” Farooq AhmadMalik, President of the Sopore fruit buyers’association stated. The fruit traders recently decidednot to send their consignments across the Line ofControl (LoC) citing lack of communication, bankingarrangements and difficulty in establishing contactwith traders across the border as the reasons.
( h t t p : / / w w w . k a s h m i r o b s e r v e r . n e t /index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=467:fruit-traders-meeting-cm-today&catid=5:business&Itemid=6)
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Sayed Abid Hussain Shah, “Trans LoC traderising despite Pak-India tensions,” The News,
January 30, 2009
MIRPUR: Trans-LoC trade between Azad Jammu& Kashmir and Jammu & Kashmir has increaseddespite tensions between Pakistan and India in theaftermath of terrorist attacks in Mumbai. AJKChamber of Commerce & Industry ExecutiveCommittee Member, Khalid Sharif observed thiswhile addressing a meeting of businessmen onJanuary 29. The leader from the business communityemphatically said that negative impact of the Indo-Pak tension on cross-LoC trade should be avoidedand discouraged by both countries in allcircumstances.
“Cross-LoC trade gains momentum, goodsreach Poonch from AJK,” Kashmir Media
Service, January 28, 2009
JAMMU: In Kashmir, after the export of 310 quintalsof potatoes, tomatoes and rajmash from Poonch,the traders in Poonch imported a large quantity offresh fruits, Peshawari sandals, rice, garlic and dryfruits from Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The tradebetween Poonch and Rawlakot suddenly gainedmomentum and large quantity of export and importof items was quite significant. Large scale cross-LoCtrade on Poonch-Rawlakot route assumed moreimportance especially when trade on Uri-Muzaffarabad route in two parts of Kashmir hadbeen suspended for more than past two months.
The items imported from AJK to Poonch viaChakan-Da-Bagh include 400 boxes of oranges, 50boxes onion, one large bag garlic, one bag berry,142 Peshawari sandals, 10 bags rice (each weighing50 kg), 10 bags Moong Dal (each weighing 50 kg),10 bags Afghani ‘Khudmani’ and 20 kg groundnut.
International Developments(http://www.kmsnews.org/news/cross-loc-trade-gains-momentum-goods-reach-poonch-ajk)
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International Developments“MQM’s ideology accepted in Pakistan,
AJK: Overseas Pakistani,” January 28, 2009
KARACHI: Members Ad-hoc Committee andOrganizer of Muhibban-e-Pakistan, an organizationof Pakistani people living in Gulf countries have saidthat the philosophy and ideology of Muttahida QaumiMovement, (MQM), which is about “Haq Parasti”have spread all over Pakistan including AzadKashmir. In a joint statement issued by MQM hereon January 27, they also congratulated Saleem Button his election as Deputy Speaker in the LegislativeAssembly of Azad Kashmir and election of TahirKhokar as Minister in AJK. They said that the HaqParast group-backed representatives will play theirfull and active role in resolving the problems of thepeople of Azad Kashmir. MQM is the only party inPakistan which has not only raised the slogans togive leadership to the lower-middle class people butit has also sent the people from this class to theassemblies and Senate, they asserted.
Other Developments“Efforts being made to restore electricity in
Gilgit: WAPDA,” Associated Press ofPakistan, January 17, 2009
GILGIT: people were facing hardships due tolongest load shedding being observed in this far flungpart of the region. Also, people working in smallindustrial units including timber factories were almostparalyzed due to power failure.
Meanwhile, Water and Power department of NAs,stated on January 17 that water channel of Naltarpower station was damaged by boulders that fellfrom the mountains after heavy rains and snowfall.The sources said that all out efforts were being madeto repair the channel. Sources further added thatwater supply to machines would be made possibleshortly.
( h t t p : / / w w w . a p p . c o m . p k / e n _ /index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=65248&Itemid=2)
“Gilgit-Baltistan to get rid of load sheddingby 2011,” Hunza Times, January 02, 2009
The Northern Areas’ water and powerdepartment has claimed that it will overcomepower shortage in the region within the next threeyears, and building on the success, it will be in aposition to sell out electricity by 2015. Thedepartment’s executive engineer, Naz Akbar,said that that at present 93 power stations werefunctioning in the region. Mr Akbar further saidthe water and power department was currentlyincapable of generating electricity vis-à-visdemand, as the generation capacity was 77.7megawatt against the local demand of 148megawatt. According to him, 14 power projectswere completed last year, while 27 projects areunder construction and would be commissionedwithin stipulated period.
ConferenceBNF Balawaristan National FrontCBM Confidence Building MeasuresCDP Community Development
ProgrammeFATA Federally Administered Tribal
AreasFBR Federal Board of RevenueGBDA Gilgit-Baltistan Democratic
AllianceGBUM Gilgit Baltistan United
MovementISI Inter Services IntelligenceJIAJK Jamaat-e-Islami Azad Jammu
& KashmirKAC Kashmiri American CouncilKKH Karakoram HighwayKNM Karakoram National
MovementLoC Line of ControlNLI Northern Light InfantryNALA Northern Areas Legislative
AssemblyNAEDC Northern Areas Executive
Development CommitteeNWFP North West Frontier ProvincePoK Pakistan Occupied KashmirPOGB Pakistan occupied Gilgit
BaltistanPPP Pakistan Peoples’ PartyUJC United Jihad CouncilWAPDA Water and Power
Development Authority
ABBREVIATIONS
(Other Developments continued after Abbreviations)
February 2009 15
“Lord Nazir Ahmed meets President Asif AliZardari to shift MSBMC”
ISLAMABAD: British Member Parliament LordNazir Ahmed held a meeting with President Asif AliZardari in Aiwan-e-Sadr and asked the Presidentto shift the Mohtarma Shaheed Benazir MedicalCollege (MSBMC) from Kotli to Mirpur in AzadKashmir as demanded by the concerned masses.Later, President Asif Ali Zardari approved theproposal and directed to shift the MSBMC fromKotli to Mirpur in Azad Kashmir. In this regard, ahigh level meeting was held in the Ministry of KashmirAffairs and Northern Areas, which was presidedover by the Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairsand Northern Areas, Qamar-uz-Zaman Kaira.
“New AJK government for early revival ofsick industrial units in liberated territory,”
January 11, 2009
MIRPUR: Under the spirit to encourage and giveimpetus to the process for industrial development inAzad Jammu & Kashmir, the newly-elected PrimeMinister Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan led AJKgovernment is taking necessary steps for the revivalof sick industrial units to make them, the production-earning factories, as stated by official sources.
Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), legitimately anintegral part of the Indian Union is presently underPakistan’s control. Pakistan occupied the territoryas a result of tribal invasion in 1947 engineered bythe Pakistani army. It covers one-third of the totalarea of 86,023 square miles/ 222,236 squarekilometers of the state of Jammu &Kashmir. Thearea under occupation comprises two administrativeunits: Mirpur- Muzaffarabad and Gilgit Baltistanreferred as ‘Azad Kashmir’ and the ‘Northern Areas’respectively by the government of Pakistan. Pakistanceded a segment (2,700 sq miles) of this occupiedterritory lying to the north-east border of the NorthernAreas known as the Trans Karakoram Tract to Chinain 1963.
“AZAD KASHMIR”Pakistan envisaged the Azad Kashmir as a countrywith a President, a Prime Minister and a Legislatureof its own according to the Karachi Agreement ofApril 28, 1949. These structures and thedesignations are only titular in nature as this invadedterritory is neither a country nor even a province.Significant subjects such as defence, supposed‘foreign policy’ of POK, rehabilitation of refugeesand the overall control have been carefully placedunder the discretion of the political establishment ofPakistan.Area: 13,297 square kmMirpur comprises 3 districts: Bhimber, Kotli,MirpurMuzaffarabad is divided into five districts: Bagh,Muzaffarabad, Neelum, Poonch, SudhnatiPopulation: 3,271,000(1.685 million Male, 1.665million Female)Capital: Muzzaffarabad“President”: Raja Zulqarnain Khan“Prime Minister”: Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan“Azad Jammu and Kashmir” Council: Total 11members- 6 from the government of AJK and 5 fromthe government of Pakistan. The AJK Council isheaded by the President AJK.Legislative Assembly: 49 seatsTribal population: Awan, Abbassi, Ansari , Gilani,Gujar, Jarral, Jat, Qureshi, Malik, Mughal, Pashtuns,Rajput, Rachyals, Sudhan, Tarkhan
NORTHERN AREASThe Northern Areas officially referred to by thegovernment of Pakistan as the FederallyAdministered Northern Areas (FANA), is thenorthernmost political entity within the Pakistanoccupied part of Kashmir and is a self governingunit under Pakistani control. The area is five timesbigger to that of Azad Kashmir. The status of thisregion being unstated in the successive constitutionsof Pakistan over the years, the people are deniedbasic socio-political and legal rights. The NorthernAreas have no representation in the NationalAssembly and are governed by the Northern AreasCouncil headed by Minister of Kashmir andNorthern Areas. A Judicial Commissioner exercisesjudicial powers in the absence of a High Court. Thepopulation mainly comprises Shia, Sunni and IsmailiMuslims. Ethnic groups include Baltees, Shinas,Vashkuns, Mughals, Kashmiris, Pathans, Ladhakhisand Turks.Governor/ Commissioner: Imran Ali“Chief Minister”: Irfan Ali and Shahid HussainLegislature: Northern Areas Legislative Assembly(29 seats)Languages: Balti, Shina, Brushaski, Khawer,Wakhi, Turki, Tibeti, Pushto and UrduArea: 72,496 kmCapital: GilgitDistricts: sevenBaltistan is divided into Ghanche and SkarduGilgit divided into Astore, Diamer, Ghizar, Gilgitand Hunza NagarPopulation: 1.5 millionPolitical groups: United Jammu and KashmirPeoples’ National Party, Balwaristan National Front(BNF) and Gilgit Baltistan United Action Forum forSelf Rule, Gilgit Baltistan United Movement(GBUM).Literacy rate: 14% male- 3.5% femaleState of Infrastructure: No pipelines for watersupply and no electricity supply for at least two thirdsof the population in Northern Areas.
February 2009 17
Institute for Defence Studies and AnalysesNo. 1, Development Enclave, Rao Tula Ram Marg
New Delhi-110 010Telphone: 91-11-26717983; Fax: 91-11-26154191
A MONTHLY NEWS DIGEST ON PAKISTAN OCCUPIED KASHMIR
Volume 2 Number 2 February 2009
Disclaimer
PoK News Digest is a collection of news reports and press releases published invarious newspapers and local media related to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK),referred as ‘Azad Kashmir’ and ‘Northern Areas’ by the government of Pakistan.The news reports have been abridged to provide clarity. IDSA is not responsiblefor the accuracy and authenticity of the news items.
