Muzaffarabad ( AJ & K): An agricultural exhibition was organized here under the auspices of the department of agriculture, Muzaffarabad.
The stalls of locally produced fruit, vegetables, and agricultural products were set up by local farmers and various units of the agriculture department.
The landowners were given awareness and demonstration about agricultural farming, agro-medicines, and machinery.
Director of agriculture Khawaja Masood Iqbal gave a briefing to Minister of Agriculture Sardar Mir Akbar Khan about locally produced olive products. The minister of agriculture praised the efforts of the departments and said that connecting with the land is the need of the time.
He further said that agriculture is the biggest sector affecting the national economy, and if our needs are met at the local level, peoples’ economic condition will improve and the revenue of the state will also increase.
Director Research Khawaja Masood Iqbal,, Muzaffarabad
“We can complete the production of vegetables and meat at the local level, and in this regard, the department of agriculture will continue its efforts”. He said that women have an important role in kitchen gardening.
Speaking at the event, Secretary Agriculture and Livestock Sardar Javed Ayub said that Azad Kashmir is the watershed of the entire country and we are trying to make the Azad region a food basket for Pakistan.
Our mission is that every region should be able to meet the local demand. He congratulated the organizers for organizing the exhibition. The agriculture minister also gave shields to those who won prominent positions in the stalls. The farmers of Muzaffarabad, Jhelum Valley, and Neelam district had prepared stalls of fresh crops, fruits, and vegetables.
The exhibition was inaugurated by Minister of Agriculture Sardar Mir Akbar Khan. While the secretary of agriculture Sardar Javed Ayub, Islamic Relief Representative Zeeshan Maqbool, Vice President National Bank of Pakistan Naheed Yusuf, Director Agriculture Sardar Zareen Khan, and others also addressed the opening ceremony.
Director General Agriculture Tariq Mehmood Bande and Director General ASMA Raja Gulzar also addressed the opening ceremony.
Director Research Khawaja Masood Iqbal, Deputy Director Agriculture Muzaffarabad Amina Rafi, and others were also present on this occasion.
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Siddique Awan, Conservation, Ecology and Biodiversity ExpertRaees ud Din Khawja, Tourism Expert
London/Neelum Valley (27 June 2022) Addressing the participant of a virtual dialogue on the environmental issues of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, experts said on Sunday that the local environment and the ecosystem of the entire Himalayan region are in danger. They said that if forests, rare species of animals, precious birds that act as environment filters, valuable herbs, and ecosystem-balanced plants are not protected, the region would lose its ecological balance.
The environmentalists warned that the timber mafia should be curbed to protect the precious forests of the region. They also said that irregular construction of guest houses in Neelum Valley should be stopped and alternative sources of energy should be provided to the people to stop the relentless deforestation. “If steps are not taken at the grassroots level, we will lose a great deal of national capital, which will have a devastating effect on the local environment and the ecosystem of the entire region,” they said. Speaking on the environmental issues of Neelum Valley, the speakers unanimously adopted that a massive awareness campaign and steps need to be taken to create awareness among the people about climate change. District-wide steps must be taken in accordance with international norms to promote eco-friendly and sustainable tourism. Necessary changes need to be made in the curriculum to make the new generation aware of the dangers facing the environment. Prof. Dr. Muhammad Siddique Awan, a top researcher on wildlife, conservation, and biodiversity, said that the growing population, deforestation, the influx of tourists to protected areas, and pollution have resulted in the greenhouse gas effect. He emphasized that both mitigation and adaptation measures were urgently needed to address important environmental issues. He further said that rising greenhouse gas emissions have multiplied the risk of glaciers erupting in the Neelum Valley, which poses a serious threat to the ecological balance of the whole Himalayan region. He said that we have to make the new generation aware of the dangers facing the mountains and forests through changes in the curriculum. “Local data on climate change is very limited, and more funds are needed for further research into the wise use of water, minerals, and medicinal plants,” he mentioned in his keynote address. The illegal extraction of medicinal plants from the Neelum Valley needs to be stopped and the movement nomads-especially those migrating from the mountains to the plains, also needs to be monitored. The endangered animals, birds, and other wildlife in the Neelum Valley are our national heritage, which is depriving us of the great national capital by eradicating them through poaching and cruelty. Dr. Siddique Awan, citing the serious effects of climate change on the local climate, said that the monsoon season has now started in the Neelum Valley, which is astonishing and has led to catastrophic glacier eruptions in recent years. “The growing population has become a major threat to the environment. Due to this, the areas of Athmaqam and Kundal Shahi have now merged, although, in the light of Islamic injunctions, it is necessary to keep a distance of a few kilometers between the two big cities”, he explained by highlighting the need for allocation of green space between cities. Environmentalists further said that there is no check and balance in the tourism sector as the tourists are spreading pollution in mountainous areas and causing other environmental problems. We need to introduce a proper system to prevent tourists from spreading pollution. They should be given orientation on the protection of local resources. Sardar Mohammad Akram- a representative of the state forests department while speaking in his personal capacity, said that the forests of Neelum Valley are equal to about half of the forests of the whole state of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. And luckily, we have some trees in the area that have become extinct all over Pakistan. He described that deforestation is not based on scientific principles and that irregularities in deforestation are harming forests and wildlife. The area of forests near population centers is shrinking as human populations are increasingly using forests for fuel and construction. To save the forests, the people need to take ownership of environmental and natural assets as their personal valuables. The government and civil society must work together to save the forests. Focal Person Tourism Department Khawaja Raisuddin said that due to climate change, the temperature difference between Neelum Valley and Muzaffarabad Valley has remained non-existent and this is due to extraordinary tourism activities. In view of the increasing number of tourists in the Neelum Valley, the concerned agencies should ensure the implementation of the Building Code and other laws to save local resources. Forty-five percent of the non-local tourists visiting Azad Kashmir are going to Neelam Valley. But relevant laws are not being implemented to check the extraordinary number of tourists. There is a need to increase partnerships between local communities and the government to save deforestation, and relevant departments and agencies must play their part in enforcing solid waste and building codes in tourist areas. Speaking on the objectives of the Press for Peace Foundation’s environmental awareness campaign, host Mazhar Iqbal Mazhar said that the organization has carried out numerous activities on the environment in Azad Jammu and Kashmir in the last two decades including seminars, workshops, community projects, public awareness, and media sensitization campaigns. The purpose of these activities is to raise public awareness of local environmental issues.
We live in an uncertain world. The present situation yearns for past pattern of socio political transitions like 1815, 1919, 1945, and 1989, when the route was hazy and the world was looking forward to some doable rosy future.
The past rapid transitional changes are the vivid proof of the fact that the ongoing change will be accelerated in posterity with double pace. There seem to be four basic scenarios for the future world in the coming decade.
The state monopoly seems to be dying out in the near future as the trends, copious forms of media and international interference will cripple the state monopoly in front of the nonstate world.
The second possibility is that the interstate confrontation will merge to a new edge as a part of a new greater game globally and especially in Asian perspective. The western interests, interference and interaction in Asia has justified that Asia has become a global arena for power-wrestling.
It is likely to curtail the global scenario via absolute breakdown or turnaround of globalization. Such murky and mysterious judgments akin to world wars are anticipated but the consequences might be reversed to the past.
In case of chief global powers’ wrestling in Asiatic Arena will provide the tangential powers the juncture to emerge to the global scene to strive for trends to halt the divergence.
The world major powers’ conflict will create an economic and political vacuum which will boost the middle class or developing countries to emerge on the scene. The futuristic technological world is going to eradicate economic and interdependency worldwide.
The power threads seem interwoven by non-state world rather than state hegemony. Such change will curtail the Western imperialism. Energy independence will ensure the power grip which is the backbone for economic upturn.
It seems that Europe, the US and China will plunge in some greater conflict in Asia and the intervention of peripheral powers will smoother the fidget.
The new political, economic, strategic and regional block will take place. The boxing for political and world leadership will remain consistent.
The world organizations will be compelled to inculcate certain others and their reformation is certain. The margin of developed and developing countries will remain the same but Chinese per capita income will boost if it follows its present policies for middle income contraries.
The world is on its extreme margins dominating and dominated. If such a situation is not reversed, the inequalities cannot be minimized in the coming decades. The nonstate world will trigger it harder than the past.
The empowerment of the non-state world will intensify the global political, economic and social tensions.
The non competitive countries will be gulped up by non-state giants. From key world powers, the one who stays away from conflicts and gains energy independence will get the best in global decision making.
The world will become wealthy, advanced but darker and insecure which will impinge on domestic as well as international affairs.
Non-state actors, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), cosmopolitan businesses, academic institutions, and affluent dwellers as well as megacities, burgeon and surpass in brazening out worldwide disputes.
Boosting global public opinion harmony among cream of the crop and many of the growing middle classes on chief global challenges-poverty, the environment, anti-corruption, rule-of-law, and peace-form the base of their support.
The nation-state does not ebb, but states ever more systematize and devise amalgamations of state and non-state actors which budge depending on the problem. Totalitarian rule unearths its durable function in this world, anxious with asserting political predominance at home and respect in a progressively more fully democratized world.
Even autonomous countries, which are connected to the notion of dominion and autonomy, find it thorny to maneuvere lucratively in this multifaceted and sundry world. Minor, luther states in which the privileged are also more incorporated are pertinent to do better than larger countries that are deficient in social or political solidity.
Formal governance institutions that do not acclimatize to the more unlike and prevalent allocation of power are also less probable to be victorious. cosmopolitan businesses, communications firms, international scientists, NGOs, and others that are used to cooperating across borders and as elements of network bloom in this hyper-globalized world where proficiency, sway, and nimbleness count for more than weight or position.
This is nonetheless a hodgepodge and very rough world. Some universal troubles get cracked because networks cope to combine and a few collaboration transpires both state and non-state divides. In other cases, non-state factors might endeavour to deal with a defy, but they are thwarted because of opposition from key powers. Security intimidations pretence an escalating challenge. Entrée to deadly and troublemaking technologies inflate, enabling individuals and small groups to bring about hostility and commotion on a large scale. Economically, universal expansion does faintly better than in the Gini Out-of-the-Bottle scenario because more cooperation occurs on major global challenges in this world.
The world is also more secure and socially cohesive. The radical changes in the world organizations, new economic, political, strategic and regional blocks have become the need of the hour to crack down the hard nuts of the global problems. Asia is the least integrated region in the world and it cannot bear the brunt of the global powers wrestling. the unresolved long standing issues which are the bone of contention among several states globally should be resolved instead of creating new fuss for power thrust.
The smaller states and developing countries must step forward to format a novel platform for resolving their issues and conflicts. The world power in the hands of a few will forcefully push the unwilling to colour their hands with human blood in various campaigns.
And its reservoir began storing water today (20 Nov) 2021.
The plant is along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a 3000-kilometer long route of infrastructure projects connecting the two countries.
After six years of construction, the Karot Hydropower Station has closed the gates of its diversion tunnels, and has officially started to impound water.
It’s a milestone event, marking the completion of over ninety percent of the project. It also paves the way for power generation in eastern Pakistan in the first half of next year.
ZUO YAXI Head, Engineering Department China Three Gorges South Asia Investment Ltd. “We spent two years working out solutions to cope with the sandstone and mudstone underground, which interrupted our grouting work. We made it after repeated trial and error.
The cement used for the construction was produced locally, so we tried very hard to control temperature rise, and reduce cracks in the concrete.”
Karot Hydropower Station is located on the Jhelum River in Pakistan’s eastern province of Punjab.
With an installed capacity of 7,200 megawatts, it can provide over three billion kilowatt hours of clean energy each year, supplying electricity to about five million people in the country.
N.A. ZUBEIRI Senior Consultant China Three Gorges South Asia Investment Ltd. “During construction, about three thousand to five thousand people will get the employment, and they’re already employed here.
Another important thing is that the tariff for the project is around 7.5 cents per unit. So consumers in Pakistan will get cheaper electricity from this basic project.”
The project is an investment by China Three Gorges Corporation, a Chinese enterprise that’s among the world’s largest producers of hydroelectric power.
Its subsidiary, the Three Gorges South Asia Investment, holds the majority share of the Karot Power Company that operates the plant.
N.A. ZUBEIRI Senior Consultant China Three Gorges South Asia Investment Ltd. “This investment is coming from private sectors, after completing 30 years, this project will be transferred to the provincial government, which means the government of Punjab will get a project of 1.7 billion dollars at free.”
The Karot Hydropower Station is the first investment project of the Silk Road Fund, and is part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Once completed, it’s expected to help reduce carbon dioxide emissions in Pakistan by 3.5 million tons per year. Courtesy Meng Qingsheng, CGTN.
/London/: Members of the British Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Kashmir have exchanged heated views while discussing a motion on human rights in Kashmir.
British parliament member Imran Hussain said that the UK should send clear massage to United Nations for solution of Kashmir as he said the Kashmiries also have equal rights to live on earth.
Labour MP Tahir Ali, while speaking to the House of Commons, called for the Indian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom to be barred from the Parliament because of the military occupation of Jammu and Kashmir.
MP Tahir Ali
The Minister for Asia in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Amanda Milling, responded to the debate on Thursday by reiterating the UK government’s unchanged stance on Kashmir as a bilateral issue.
The government takes the situation in Kashmir very seriously but it’s for India and Pakistan to find a lasting political solution, taking into account the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
It’s not for the UK to prescribe a solution or to act as a mediator, said Milling.
Raheel Malik Tweeted that the backbench business debate was put forward by MPs Debbie Abrahams and Yasmin Qureshi.
According to Qureshi “the situation on the ground is deeply troubling” and as the “conflict is a colonial legacy” UK has a responsibility to help resolve it.
The debate, which was scheduled to be held in March 2020 but had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, was opened by Opposition Labour Party MP Debbie Abrahams.
She said that the Pakistani government allowed them unfettered access. We used our meetings to ask pointed questions related to human rights issues highlighted in United Nations reports, said Abrahams.
Kashmiris must be at the heart of a trilateral peacebuilding process, she said, reiterating that Thursday’s debate was not pro or anti any country and only speaking in favour of human rights.
While the world is heading towards 5G – People of the state of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan (GB) are still looking for basic internet facilities .
There are several areas in both – AJK and GB , where people don’t even have facility of mobile networks for calls etc.
But , there are some good news regarding internet facility to the people of AJK and GB as application were invited by Pakistan telecommunication Authority (PTA).
As per promise by Federal Minister for Kashmir and GB Affairs Ali Amin Khan Gandapur , During Election campaigns in Azad jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit –the process for bidding for the next generation mobile services (NGMS) spectrum is initiated.
All four cellular companies , which are operating in Pakistan , have submitted bids for the NGMS spectrum auction.
Official Source from Pakistan telecommunication authority (PTA) told that PTA has received bids by four cellular companies operating in Pakistan – against both bands (1800MHz & 2100MHz).
Four cellular companies which are interested are Telenor Pakistan, Pakistan mobile communication limited (PMCL / JAZZ) , china mobile Pakistan (CMPAK / ZONG) and the last one is Pakistan telecommunications mobile limited (UFONE) .
Applications were invited from cellular companies for 30MHz paired in the 2100MHz and 1600MHz paired in the 1800MHz band for new technology in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) & Gilgit Baltistan (GB).
As per information by PTA , via their information memorandum (IM) , last date to submit application forms and sealed bids with pre-Bid deposit was September 22 , 2021.
Now, its upto PTA for method of selection of one of the companies – either selection could be done through announcement of qualified winners directly on September 23 , 2021 or digital auctioning on September 24 , 2021 (if and only if PTA can’t choose qualifier from group of applied companies ). On September 27 and 28 , 2021 – Mock clock auction of 1800MHz and 2100MHz will be held (if required) and then clock auction bidding respectively. People from AJK and GB are happy over this move by the government of Pakistan , PTA and all relevant authorities. It would be a milestone as both areas – AJK and GB were under high criticism on social media after outbreak of COVID’19 as even for online studies , students from AJK and GB were forced to live away from their homes due to unavailability of internet. Students , who were in AJK or GB , for their online classes they often need to go on high peaks , mountains etc. for better internet quality so they could get their online classes or exams. Employed people , also suffered a lot – for those who were working online often faced internet issues – forcing them to get away from their areas to the major cities where internet facilities were enough. Complaints were there on Prime Minister citizen portal by students about difficulties and issues they were facing for online classes – especially during online exams . Twitter trends were launched by Students of AJK , against worst internet facility in the region with the Hashtag (#ProvideinternetinAJK). Federal Minister for Kashmir and GB Affairs Ali Amin Khan Gandapur and Murad saeed faced criticism also during their election campaigns by the educated sect of AJK and GB. They promised to provide internet facilities to the people of AJK and GB on priority basis – and it seems like a dream coming true for people in AJK and GB. In 2018 , Peaceful Protest was also recorded by Youth Parliament AJK Chapter – under leadership of Mr Asad Qureshi (President YPP Then) and his team – against poor internet facilities in AJK (in general) and in Capital of AJK Muzaffrabad (in specific). Freelancer community of AJK and GB were also forced to reside in areas and cities with better internet quality – Freelancer from AJK , Mr Shakeel ur Rehman told that “ we can’t even go to our homes for 3-4 days due to poor or no internet facilities there in my native village (KUNA) , chinari , jehlum valley AJK . As on freelancing sites , Your rating matters a lot and rating usually depends upon your time to response any query or to accept orders from different customers and time efficiency required.
With present internet facilities in AJK , You can’t even make calls (audio / video) on whattsapp , messanger etc many times. But ,recent development as applications were invited by PTA , seems future would be better than present.” Another citizen , Student of Mirpur university of science and technology , Mirpur AJK , Sardar Hasnat (Software Engineer) told his experience of the issues he faced during his online classes and exam.
Hasnat told that even for online classes , he had to live in Mirpur AJK as internet in his native city , Kotli AJK wasn’t good enough for taking online classes and exams.
Human Right Activist from GB , AB wahab Fakhar welcomed this step of Telecommunication authority and called this as “ Morning after long Dark years “ – He added , students of school and college would also get a better chance to get recognize with the technologies at very young age , it took 20+ years of our life and migration from GB – for our education and recognition with internet facility and diversity of online educational and learning opportunities.
To conclude , one can say , Internet is like a basic HUMAN RIGHT in present age – if Right to information , right to education or freedom of speech are basic human rights , then the tool “ Internet” required for freely acquiring them is and foremost right of every Human.
Engr Tabish Abbasi is a freelance contributor and blogger. His email ID is tabiabbasi36@gmail.com
Muzaffarabad (IoK News): The officials of the agriculture department of Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir have agreed to enhance cooperation between them to benefit from each others’ expertise in the growth of agriculture sector.
This was announced after a visit of a high level delegation of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir agriculture department to Gilgit-Baltistan.
The delegation was comprised of Secretary Agriculture Dr Bashir Butt, Director Research & Technical Services Khawaja Masood Iqbal and other senior officials.
Director Agriculture Dr Fazal ur Rehman welcomed the members of the delegation and briefed them on recent developments of the agriculture department of the region.
Deputy Director Shigar GM Saqib invited the delegation to visit a medicinal plants and floriculture garden.
He informed the members of the delegation that agriculture department of the region was playing an important role in making medicinal plants available to local farmers and offer them a profitable business opportunity.
He further informed the delegation that there was a huge potential of producing herbs and flowers for income generation.
The production and growth of herbs and flowers for medicinal and decorative purposes is highly likely to make a positive impact in the economic development of rural and mountainous communities of Gilgit-Baltistan.
Senior scientific officer PCSIR laboratories (Skardu) Fazal Ullah briefed the members of the delegation on measures to keep fruit and vegetables dry and safe for commercial purposes.
He emphasised on creating awareness among people on developing agri-based businesses.
Senior Scientific Officer of Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) Skardu Ayub Balgari apprised the members of the delegation about the research and development activities of his organisation in Gilgit-Baltistan region.
He said that four dedicated research centres were fully operational in the region to boost the role of agricultural research and development in GB.
Deputy Director Muhammad Ali discussed the role of modern lab techniques in controlling the diseases in fruit and vegetables.
He particularly mentioned the successes his department has made in eradication of the diseases in various specious of potatoes in the region.
Secretary Agriculture AJ & K Dr. Bashir Butt said that the visit of the AJ & K agriculture department delegation was highly rewarding.
He considered that the visit was very successful as it offered enormous opportunities to increase the cooperation between the agriculture department of both the regions.
He further said that this was a first-ever high-level interaction between the officials to discuss technical and scientific aspects of the agricultural research and development in the region.
The visit will have far-reaching impact on the development and growth of agriculture and agricultural research in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Bagh –Azad Jammu and Kashmir ( Press Release) // Press for Peace Foundation has felicitated the newly elected Prime Minister of Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi and expressed the hope that new government would specially focus on backward areas of the state.
In a statement issued here, the spokesperson of PFP Robina Naz has welcomed the successful completion of democratic process and transfer of power in AJK.
It is worth-mentioning here that Prime Minister Qayyum Niazi belongs to a marginalized area of the state located along with the Line of Control (LoC).
He is well-aware of the problems and issues being faced by the local people.
“The majority of the people of AJK are facing the various problems including poverty, unemployment, backwardness and unfair distribution of resources”, the spokesperson added.
She maintained that she highly appreciated the decision of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) party for electing the prime minister of the state from a backward area.
She further said that election of Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi was against the traditional politics of AJK.
The spokesperson expressed the hope that the government of AJK under the leadership of PM Niazi would initiate effective measures for the equal development of backward areas.
Press for Peace Foundation urged the new government to initiate projects for the welfare of all segments of society without any discrimination reminding the government to ensure the local bodies polls in AJK.
The spokesperson of PFPF has reiterated her orgnisation’s strong resolve to play its role for the development of social sector, provision of training of various skills to youth in different fields, promotion of education and training and betterment of environment in AJK.
Women in both parts of the divided state of Jammu and Kashmir have been active participants in political movements.
The trend is as old as the region’s political identity as an independent state. Historically, women played a pivotal role during the agitation and political strife against the Dogra regime and various other movements.
Begum Akbar Jehan was the head of Red Cross in Jammu and Kashmir after the Jammu Massacre
In Azad Jammu and Kashmir, most women have been active in politics after taking comparatively an easy route of reserved slots in the Legislative Assembly.
From a total 4 million population, Azad Jammu and Kashmir has over 50 per cent female population.
However, traditionally and culturally the region dominates the conservative trends when it comes to give women equal opportunities to participate in electoral process.
As a matter of fact, during the recent elections of the AJ & K Legislative Assembly, out of a total of over 700 candidates only 20 women were contesting on general seats.
In 2016 polls, out of 423 candidates, only eight were women who contested elections on the general seats. Of them, only one woman managed to win.
PML-N’s Noreen Arif, PPP’s Farzana Yaqoob, and PTI’s Taqdees Gilani are the familiar faces in local political circles in Azad Kashmir.
However, during the recent elections, women challengers of the status quo have proved that peoples’ behaviours and priorities about women participation in politics are changing.
JKDP’s Nabila Irshad and PTI’s Gulzar Fatima can be considered challengers to a majorly male dominant political setup in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Gulzar Fatima is among one of those Kashmiri women politicians who are mesmerised by the political ideology of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
She is an active member of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) party in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Before stepping into the politics, she has been actively participating in the movements of social change in the society .
In past, she has worked as Secretary Pakistan Red Crescent –AJK chapter. Her political career spans over two decades. She has been a member of the AJK legislative assembly.
She has been advocating for good governance, fighting against injustice and corruption besides highlighting the silent role of AJK Government for the Kashmir cause.
She is a true believer in transparency and fair practices in politics. She is a fan of the charismatic leadership of her party head Prime Minister Imran Khan and fully supports his Political vision, ideology and struggle. The charisma of Imran Khan motivated her to join the PTI.
Ever since she decided to part ways with Pakistan People’s Party to join PTI she has been very active and vocal in politics of Azad Kashmir.
As soon as she joined the party , she was nominated as the president of the women wing to organize the party in AJK.
This was not an easy job to organize a party on gross root level at such time when Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) was governing party in the centre and Pakistan People’s Party in AJK.
Moreover, it was difficult to mobilize women of AJK and persuade them to participate in the party’s politics because of local tribal customs and bigotries.
Gulzar Fatima with Dr Nosheen Hamid, Senator Seemi Aizdi, Reema Imran (Wife of the governor Sindh) and others during a visit of Karachi.
However, despite the absence of a strategic plan and a conducive environment for launching the party besides a poor relationship with the central command of PTI, she successfully enrolled women of every age group in the party in every district.
She managed to organize the party on a grass root level by establishing basic units of the party despite the general public was uncertain about the future of the Party.
She arranged the oath-taking ceremony of central body AJK in Muzaffarabad.
In the election year of 2016, apparently everything was set for PML-N, but Gulzar Fatima campaigned door to door for the success of her party candidates.
During the 2016 election of AJK, she was also nominated member of the “Election Manifesto Committee” of PTI.
Despite of the hurdles and challenges facing a woman politician in a highly patronising and conservative social environment, she regularly participants in all meetings of the party.
He recommendations were incorporated in PTI’s election manifesto of 2016.
During the protests in Islamabad , a heinous propaganda campaign was launched by the opposition parties to malign her party’s image and distance women from its struggle, she played a positive leadership role by not bowing in front of the pressure.
Soon after her party head came to Muzaffarabad to address a public gathering, she ensured maximum participation of women in the program to counter the opposition’s propaganda.
She participated in Imran khan’s program of “Islamabad Chalo” and reached Banigala along with many people despite hurdles placed by the then government.
She attended almost all rallies, protests and jalsas on call of the leadership.
Gulzar Fatima has been vocal on various issues of political and social importance. She has been regularly appearing on various national television channels to spread her party’s vision at the grass-root level.
During the 2021 election campaign in AJK, she organized a women convention for the support of the party’s candidate in her constituency.
She has been travelling extensively in all three divisions of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and participating in every public gathering.
She has successfully mobilized women in Bagh, Hajeera, Dhirkot, Neelum and Jhelum Valleys.
/IoK News (Mirpur AJ & K)/ Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan Sikandar Sultan Raja will witness the electoral process in AJ & K, the Insight on Kashmir has learnt. However, the local and national media reports suggest that despite repeated claims by federal government of free, fair and transparent elections in Azad Kashmir, the partiality of the election process has already got a question mark.
There is an ongoing debate in the political parties contesting the election that the electoral process will be hijacked. On Tuesday 6th of July 2021, former Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi predicted that the upcoming Azad Jammu and Kashmir general elections would be rigged.
A meeting of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Election Commission held on Wednesday to finalise the code of conduct for journalists for the upcoming elections.
During a heated election campaign, a gross violation of rules, regulations and laws relating to electioneering have already been reported in the local press.
In an unusual judicial inquiry, the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of Azad Jammu and Kashmir has rejected an inquiry report by a returning officer (RO) on the issue of grant of cash by federal minister Ali Ameen Gandapur to a PTI activists,
Earlier this week, the members of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Election Commission Raja Farooq Niaz and Farhat Ali Meer invited Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan to visit the region on the election day on July 25 and monitor the electoral process and arrangements made by them.
The members of the AJK EC thanked the CEC for his cooperation in preparation of electoral rolls for 12 seats of Constituent Assembly of AJK for Kashmiri refugees living in various parts of Pakistan.
They also lauded the decision of appointing ECP officials as returning officers and assistant returning officers for the election on the reserved seats of the refugees.
On 13 July, in an extra-ordinary meeting of the AJ & K election commissioner, the Chief Election Commissioner Justice (R) Abdul Rasheed Sulehria reiterated his firm resolve to conduct free , fair and unbiased election process in the region.
He instructed to all returning officers, local administration and police of the Muzaffarabad region to cooperate with the election authority to ensure fair elections in the region.
Insight on Kashmir 