Azad Kashmir

Coordinates: 33°50′36″N 73°51′05″E / 33.84333°N 73.85139°E / 33.84333; 73.85139
Page semi-protected
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Āzād Jammū̃ o Kaśmīr
182
Websitewww.ajk.gov.pk

Azad Jammu and Kashmir

2017 national census
.

The territory has a parliamentary form of government modelled after the

Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly elects both the Prime Minister and President. The territory has its own Supreme Court and a High Court, while the Government of Pakistan's Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan serves as a link between itself and Azad Jammu and Kashmir's government, although the autonomous territory is not represented in the Parliament of Pakistan
.

Northern Azad Kashmir lies in a region that experiences strong vibrations of the earth as a result of the

Eurasian plate.[10] A major earthquake in 2005 killed at least 100,000 people and left another three million people displaced, causing widespread devastation to the region's infrastructure and economy. Since then, with help from the Government of Pakistan and foreign aid, reconstruction of infrastructure is underway. Azad Kashmir's economy largely depends on agriculture, services, tourism, and remittances sent by members of the British Mirpuri community. Nearly 87% of Azad Kashmiri households own farm property,[11] and the region has the highest rate of school enrollment in Pakistan and a literacy rate of approximately 74%.[12][5]

Name

Azad Kashmir (Free Kashmir) was the title of a pamphlet issued by the

Sardar Ibrahim on July 19, 1947, reversed the decision, demanding that the maharaja accede to Pakistan.[18][19]

Soon afterward, Sardar Ibrahim escaped to Pakistan and led the Poonch rebellion from there, with the assistance of Pakistan's prime minister Liaquat Ali Khan and other officials. Liaquat Ali Khan appointed a committee headed by Mian Iftikharuddin to draft a "declaration of freedom".[20] On October 4, an Azad Kashmir provisional government was declared in Lahore with Ghulam Nabi Gilkar as president under the assumed name "Mr. Anwar" and Sardar Ibrahim as the prime minister. Gilkar travelled to Srinagar and was arrested by the maharaja's government. Pakistani officials subsequently appointed Sardar Ibrahim as the president of the provisional government.[21][note 1]

History

A 1946 map of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir; present-day Azad Kashmir constitutes areas of the three western-most districts

At the time of the

princely states, which were left with the options of joining India or Pakistan or remaining independent. Hari Singh, the maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, wanted his state to remain independent.[23][24] Muslims in the western districts of the Jammu province (current day Azad Kashmir) and in the Frontier Districts province (current day Gilgit-Baltistan) had wanted to join Pakistan.[25]

In Spring 1947, an uprising against the maharaja broke out in

Palandri under the leadership of Sardar Ibrahim Khan.[29]

On October 21, several thousand

North-West Frontier Province poured into Jammu and Kashmir to help with the rebellion against the maharaja's rule. They were led by experienced military leaders and were equipped with modern arms. The maharaja's crumbling forces were unable to withstand the onslaught. The tribesmen captured the towns of Muzaffarabad and Baramulla, the latter of which is 32 kilometres (20 mi) northwest of the state capital Srinagar. On October 24, the Maharaja requested military assistance from India, which responded that it was unable to help him unless he acceded to India. Accordingly, on October 26, 1947, Maharaja Hari Singh signed an Instrument of Accession, handing over control of defence, external affairs, and communications to the Government of India in return for military aid.[30] Indian troops were immediately airlifted into Srinagar.[31] Pakistan intervened subsequently.[24] Fighting ensued between the Indian and Pakistani armies, with the two areas of control more or less stabilised around what is now known as the "Line of Control".[32]

India later approached the United Nations, asking it to resolve the dispute, and resolutions were passed in favour of the holding of a plebiscite with regard to Kashmir's future. However, no such plebiscite has ever been held on either side, since there was a precondition that required the withdrawal of the Pakistani army along with the non-state elements and the subsequent partial withdrawal of the Indian army[33] from the parts of Kashmir under their respective control – a withdrawal that never took place.[34] In 1949, a formal cease-fire line separating the Indian- and Pakistani-controlled parts of Kashmir came into effect.

Following the 1949 cease-fire agreement with India, the government of Pakistan divided the northern and western parts of Kashmir that it controlled at the time of the cease-fire into the following two separately controlled political entities:

  • Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) – the narrow, southern part, 400 km (250 mi) long, with a width varying from 15 to 65 km (10 to 40 mi).
  • Federally Administered Northern Areas
    (FANA) – the much larger political entity to the north of AJK with an area of 72,496 km2 (27,991 sq mi).

In 1955, the Poonch uprising broke out. It was largely concentrated in areas of Rawalakot as well as the rest of Poonch Division. It ended in 1956.[35]

At one time under Pakistani control, Kashmir's Shaksgam tract, a small region along the northeastern border of Gilgit–Baltistan, was provisionally ceded by Pakistan to the People's Republic of China in 1963 which helped in resolving China-Pakistan boundary dispute and now the forms part of China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

In 1972, the then current border between the Indian and Pakistani controlled parts of Kashmir was designated as the "Line of Control". This line has remained unchanged[36] since the 1972 Simla Agreement, which bound the two countries "to settle their differences by peaceful means through bilateral negotiations". Some political experts claim that, in view of that pact, the only solution to the issue is mutual negotiation between the two countries without involving a third party such as the United Nation.[37] The 1974 Interim Constitution Act was passed by the 48-member Azad Jammu and Kashmir unicameral assembly.[38]

In April 1997, the Nawaz Sharif government refused to grant constitutional status to Azad Jammu and Kashmir stating that "'The grant of constitutional rights to these people will amount to unilateral annexation of these areas."[39]

Geography

Landscape of Azad Kashmir

The northern part of Azad Jammu and Kashmir encompasses the lower area of the

Neelum Valley is the highest peak in the state.[2]

The region receives rainfall in both the winter and the summer. Muzaffarabad and Pattan are among the wettest areas of Pakistan. Throughout most of the region, the average rainfall exceeds 1400 mm, with the highest average rainfall occurring near Muzaffarabad (around 1800 mm). During the summer season, monsoon floods of the rivers Jhelum and Leepa are common due to extreme rains and snow melting.

Climate

Map of the Köppen-Geiger climate classification

The southern parts of Azad Kashmir, including the Bhimber, Mirpur, and Kotli districts, have extremely hot weather in the summer and moderate cold weather in the winter. They receive rain mostly in monsoon weather.[citation needed]

Paddy field in Leepa valley

In the central and northern parts of the state, the weather remains moderately hot in the summer and cold and chilly in the winter. Snowfall also occurs there in December and January.[citation needed]

The region receives rainfall in both the winter and the summer. Muzaffarabad and Pattan are among the wettest areas of the state, but they don't receive snow. Throughout most of the region, the average rainfall exceeds 1400 mm, with the highest average rainfall occurring near Muzaffarabad (around 1800 mm). During summer, monsoon floods of the Jhelum and Leepa rivers are common, due to high rainfall and melting snow.[citation needed]

Government and politics

Muzaffarabad, the capital city of Azad Kashmir
Bagh City

Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) is nominally a self-governing state,[40] but ever since the 1949 ceasefire between Indian and Pakistani forces, Pakistan has exercised control over the state without incorporating it into Pakistan.[2][41] Azad Kashmir has its own elected president, prime minister, legislative assembly, high court (with Azam Khan as its present chief justice), and official flag.[42]

Azad Kashmir's budget and tax affairs, are dealt with by the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Council rather than by Pakistan's Central Board of Revenue. The Azad Jammu and Kashmir Council is a supreme body consisting of 14 members, 8 from the government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and 6 from the government of Pakistan. Its chairman/chief executive is the prime minister of Pakistan. Other members of the council are the president and the prime minister of Azad Kashmir (or an individual nominated by her/him) and 6 members of the AJK Legislative Assembly.

Jammu and Kashmir State
to India and its military presence in the Indian-controlled parts of Jammu and Kashmir.

NGO Human Rights Watch said in 2006: "Although 'azad' means 'free,' the residents of Azad Kashmir are anything but; the Pakistani authorities govern the Azad Kashmir government with tight controls on basic freedoms."[45] Scholar Christopher Snedden has observed that despite tight controls, the people of Azad Kashmir have generally accepted whatever Pakistan has done to them, which in any case has varied little from how most Pakistanis have been treated (by Pakistan). According to Christopher Snedden, one of the reasons for this was that the people of Azad Kashmir had always wanted to be part of Pakistan.[46]

Consequently, having little to fear from a pro-Pakistan population devoid of options,

Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front has never been allowed to contest elections in Azad Kashmir.[47] While the interim constitution does not give them a choice, the people of Azad Kashmir have not considered any option other than joining Pakistan.[46] Except in a legal sense, Azad Kashmir has been fully integrated into Pakistan.[46]

Azad Kashmir is home to a vibrant civil society. One of the organizations active in the territory and inside Pakistan is YFK-International Kashmir Lobby Group, an NGO that seeks better India-Pakistan relations through conflict resolution in Kashmir.

Development project

According to the project report by the Asian Development Bank, the bank has set out development goals for Azad Kashmir in the areas of health, education, nutrition, and social development. The whole project is estimated to cost US$76 million.[48] Germany, between 2006 and 2014, has also donated $38 million towards the AJK Health Infrastructure Programme.[49]

Administrative divisions

Districts of Azad Kashmir

The state is administratively divided into three

districts.[50]

Division District Area (km2) Population (2017 Census) Headquarters
Mirpur Mirpur 1,010 456,200
New Mirpur City
Kotli 1,862 774,194 Kotli
Bhimber 1,516 420,624 Bhimber
Muzaffarabad Muzaffarabad 1,642 650,370 Muzaffarabad
Hattian
854 230,529 Hattian Bala
Neelam Valley
3,621 191,251
Athmuqam
Poonch
Poonch
855 500,571 Rawalakot
Haveli 600 152,124 Forward Kahuta
Bagh 768 371,919
Bagh
Sudhanoti 569 297,584
Palandri
Total 10 districts 13,297 4,045,366 Muzaffarabad
Kotla, Bagh District

Demographics

Population

The population of Azad Kashmir, according to the preliminary results of

the 2017 Census, is 4.045 million.[51] The website of the AJK government reports the literacy rate to be 74%, with the enrolment rate in primary school being 98% and 90% for boys and girls respectively.[52]

The population of Azad Kashmir is almost entirely Muslim. The people of this region culturally differ from the

Jammu. Mirpur, Kotli, and Bhimber are all old towns of the Jammu region.[53]

Religion

Azad Jammu and Kashmir has an almost entirely

Muslim
population. According to data maintained by Christian community organizations, there are around 4,500 Christian residents in the region. Bhimber is home to most of them, followed by Mirpur and Muzaffarabad. A few dozen families also live in Kotli, Poonch, and Bagh. However, the Christian community has been struggling to get residential status and property rights in AJK.

There is no official data on the total number of

Bahais
in AJK. Only six Bahai families are known to be living in Muzaffarabad with others living in rural areas.

The followers of the

Ahmadi faith are estimated to be somewhere between 20,000 and 25,000, and most of them live in Kotli, Mirpur, Bhimber, and Muzaffarabad.[54]

Ethnic groups

Sudhans have the oral tradition of the Pashtuns.[60][61]

The main communities living in this region are:[62]

  • Gujjars – They are an agricultural tribe and are estimated to be the largest community living in the ten districts of Azad Kashmir.[62][63][64] They are estimated to number around 800,000.[65]
  • Poonch, Sudhanoti, Bagh, and Kotli in Azad Kashmir, and allegedly originating from the Pashtun areas.[66][62][63] With a population of more than 500,000, together with the Rajputs, they are the source of most of Azad Kashmir's political leaders.[65]
  • Jats – They are one of the larger communities of AJK and primarily inhabit the districts of Mirpur, Bhimber, and Kotli. A large Mirpuri population lives in the U.K. and it is estimated that more people of Mirpuri origins are now residing in the U.K. than in the Mirpur district, which retains strong ties with the U.K.[62][67] Mirpuri Jats number approximately 300 000.[65]
  • Rajputs – They are spread across the territory, and they number a little under 500,000. Together with the Sundhans, they are the source of most of Azad Kashmir's political class.[65]
  • Mughals – Largely located in the Bagh and Muzaffarabad districts.[64]
  • Awans – A clan with significant numbers in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, living mainly in the Bagh, Poonch, Hattian Bala, and Muzaffarabad. Awans also reside in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in large numbers.[62][63][64]
  • Dhund – They are a large clan in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and live mostly in the Bagh, Hattian Bala, and Muzaffarabad districts. They also inhabit Abbottabad and upper Potohar Punjab in large numbers.[62][63][64]
  • Neelam Valley and the Leepa Valley (see Kashmiris in Azad Kashmir).[68]

Languages

Languages by approximate number of speakers[69]

  Pahari-Pothwari (68%)
  Gojri (19%)
  Kashmiri (5%)
  Others (8%)

The official language of Azad Kashmir is

Dogri (in the south), as well as pockets of speakers of Kundal Shahi, Shina and Pashto. With the exception of Pashto and English, those languages belong to the Indo-Aryan
language family.

The dialects of the

Neelam Valley the dialect, locally also known as Parmi, can more unambiguously be subsumed under Hindko.[72]

Another major language of Azad Kashmir is

Hazara region than to the dialects spoken further to the northwest in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and north in Gilgit.[75]

There are scattered communities of

Neelam Valley, where they form the second-largest language group after speakers of Hindko.[77] There have been calls for the teaching of Kashmiri (particularly in order to counter India's claim of promoting the culture of Kashmir), but the limited attempts at introducing the language at the secondary school level have not been successful, and it is Urdu, rather than Kashmiri, that Kashmiri Muslims have seen as their identity symbol.[78] There is an ongoing process of gradual shift to larger local languages,[70] but at least in the Neelam Valley there still exist communities for whom Kashmiri is the sole mother tongue.[79]

There are speakers of Dogri in the southernmost district of Bhimber, where they are estimated to represent almost a third of the district's population.[69] In the northernmost district of Neelam, there are small communities of speakers of several other languages. Shina, which like Kashmiri belongs to the broad Dardic group, is present in two distinct varieties spoken altogether in three villages. Pashto, of the Iranian subgroup and the majority language in the neighbouring province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is spoken in two villages, both situated on the Line of Control. The endangered Kundal Shahi is native to the eponymous village and it is the only language not found outside Azad Kashmir.[80]

Economy

Neelum Valley is a tourist destination in Azad Kashmir.

As of 2021, GDP of Azad Jammu and Kashmir was estimated to be 10 billion pounds, giving per capita an income of £5604.[81] Historically the economy of Azad Kashmir has been agricultural which meant that land was the main source or mean of production. This means that all food for immediate and long-term consumption was produced from the land. The produce included various crops, fruits, vegetables, etc. The land was also the source of other livelihood necessities such as wood, fuel, grazing for animals which then turned into dairy products. Because of this land was also the main source of revenue for the governments whose primary purpose for centuries was to accumulate revenue.[82]

Agriculture is a major part of Azad Kashmir's economy. Low-lying areas that have high populations grow crops like barley, mangoes, millet, corn (maize), and wheat, and also raise cattle. In the elevated areas that are less populated and more spread out, forestry, corn, and livestock are the main sources of income. There are mineral and marble resources in Azad Kashmir close to Mirpur and Muzaffarabad. There are also graphite deposits at Mohriwali. There are also reservoirs of low-grade coal, chalk, bauxite, and zircon. Local household industries produce carved wooden objects, textiles, and dhurrie carpets.[2] There is also an arts and crafts industry that produces such cultural goods as namdas, shawls, pashmina, pherans, Papier-mâché, basketry copper, rugs, wood carving, silk and woolen clothing, patto, carpets, namda gubba, and silverware. Agricultural goods produced in the region include mushrooms, honey, walnuts, apples, cherries, medicinal herbs and plants, resin, deodar, kail, chir, fir, maple, and ash timber.[2][41][83]

Munda Gali, Leepa Valley

The migration to the UK was accelerated and by the completion of

British Mirpuri community make a critical role in AJK's economy. In the mid-1950s various economic and social development processes were launched in Azad Kashmir. In the 1960s, with the construction of the Mangla Dam in Mirpur District, the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Government began to receive royalties from the Pakistani government for the electricity that the dam provided to Pakistan. During the mid-2000s, a multibillion-dollar reconstruction began in the aftermath of the 2005 Kashmir earthquake.[84]

In addition to agriculture, textiles, and arts and crafts, remittances have played a major role in the economy of Azad Kashmir. One analyst estimated that the figure for Azad Kashmir was 25.1% in 2001. With regard to annual household income, people living in the higher areas are more dependent on remittances than are those living in the lower areas.

international aid agencies for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of earthquake-hit zones in Azad Kashmir, though much of that amount was subsequently lost in bureaucratic channels, leading to considerable delays in help getting to the neediest. Hundreds of people continued to live in tents long after the earthquake.[84] A land-use plan for the city of Muzaffarabad was prepared by the Japan International Cooperation Agency
.

Tourist destinations in the area include the following:

Education

Mirpur University of Science and Technology

The literacy rate in Azad Kashmir was 62% in 2004, higher than in any other region of Pakistan.[86] The literacy rate of Azad Kashmir was 76.60% in 2018.[87] It remained at 79.80% in 2019. According to the 2020–2021 census, the literacy rate in Azad Kashmir was 91.34%.[88] However, only 2.2% were graduates, compared to the average of 2.9% for Pakistan.[89]

Universities

The following is a list of universities recognised by

Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC):[90]

University Location(s) Established Type Specialization Website
Mirpur University of Science and Technology, Mirpur
Mirpur 1980 (2008)* Public Engineering & Technology [1]
University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Muzaffarabad 1980 Public General [2]
University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir
(Neelam Campus)
Neelum
2013 Public General [3]
University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir
(Jhelum Valley Campus)
Jhelum Valley District
2013 Public General [4]
Al-Khair University Bhimber 1994 (2011*) Private General [5]
Mohi-ud-Din Islamic University Nerian Sharif 2000 Private General [6]
University of Poonch (Rawlakot Campus) Rawalakot 1980 (2012)* Public General [7] Archived August 5, 2021, at the Wayback Machine
University of Poonch (SM Campus, Mong, Sudhnoti District)
Sudhnoti District
2014 Public General [8] Archived August 5, 2021, at the Wayback Machine
University of Poonch (Kahuta Campus, Haveli District) Haveli District 2015 Public General [9] Archived August 5, 2021, at the Wayback Machine
Women University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Bagh
Bagh 2013 Public General [10]
University of Management Sciences and Information Technology
Kotli
2014 Public General [11]
Mirpur University of Science and Technology
(Bhimber Campus)
Bhimber
2013 Public Science & Humanities [12]

* Granted university status.

Cadet College Pallandri

Medical colleges

The following is a list of undergraduate medical institutions recognised by Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) as of 2013.[91]

Private medical colleges

Sports

Football, cricket, and volleyball are very popular in Azad Kashmir. Many tournaments are also held throughout the year and in the holy month of Ramazan, night-time flood-lit tournaments are also organised.

Azad Kashmir has its own T20 tournament called the Kashmir Premier League, which started in 2021.

New Mirpur City has a cricket stadium (Quaid-e-Azam Stadium) which has been taken over by the Pakistan Cricket Board for renovation to bring it up to the international standards. There is also a cricket stadium in Muzaffarabad with a capacity of 8,000 people. This stadium has hosted 8 matches of the Inter-District Under 19 Tournament 2013.

There are also registered football clubs:

  • Pilot Football Club
  • Youth Football Club
  • Kashmir National FC
  • Azad Super FC

Culture

Tourism

The northern part of Azad Jammu and Kashmir encompasses the lower part of the

Neelum Valley is the highest peak in the state.[92] Fertile, green, mountainous valleys are characteristic of Azad Kashmir's geography, making it one of the most beautiful regions on the subcontinent.[93]

The southern parts of Azad Kashmir including Bhimber, Mirpur and Kotli districts has extremely hot weather in summers and moderate cold weather in winters. It receives rains mostly in monsoon weather.

In the central and northern parts of state weather remains moderate hot in summers and very cold and chilly in winter. Snow fall also occurs there in December and January.

This region receives rainfall in both winters and summers. Muzaffarabad and Pattan are among the wettest areas of the state. Throughout most of the region, the average rainfall exceeds 1400 mm, with the highest average rainfall occurring near Muzaffarabad (around 1800 mm). During summer, monsoon floods of the Jhelum and Leepa river are common, due to high rainfall and melting snow.

Notable people

See also

Notes

  1. Urdu: آزاد جموں و کشمیر, transl. 'Free Jammu and Kashmir' listen[8]
  1. ^ The official with direct involvement in the affair was the Commissioner of Rawalpindi Division, Khawaja Abdul Rahim. He was assisted by Nasim Jahan, the wife of Colonel Akbar Khan.[22]
  2. ^ Officially, the Mirpur and Poonch districts were in the Jammu province of the state and Muzaffarabad was in the Kashmir province. All three provinces spoke languages related to Punjabi, not the Kashmiri language spoken in the Kashmir Valley.[27]
  3. ^ Snedden 2013, p. 176: On p. 29, the census report states that Urdu is the official language of the government of Azad Kashmir, with Kashmiri, Pahari, Gojri, Punjabi, Kohistani, Pushto, and Sheena 'frequently spoken in Azad Kashmir'. Yet, when surveyed about their 'mother tongue', Azad Kashmiris' choices were limited to selecting from Pakistan's major languages: Urdu, Punjabi, Sindhi, Pushto, Balochi, Saraiki, and 'others'; not surprisingly, 2.18 million of Azad Kashmir's 2.97 million people chose 'others'.
  4. ^ Hallberg & O'Leary (1992, p. 96) report two rough estimates for the total population of Gujari speakers in Azad Kashmir: 200,000 and 700,000, both from the 1980s.

References

  1. ^
    due weight
    in the coverage. Although "controlled" and "held" are also applied neutrally to the names of the disputants or to the regions administered by them, as evidenced in sources (h) through (i) below, "held" is also considered politicized usage, as is the term "occupied," (see (j) below). (a) Kashmir, region Indian subcontinent, Encyclopaedia Britannica, archived from the original on August 13, 2019, retrieved August 15, 2019 (subscription required) Quote: "Kashmir, region of the northwestern Indian subcontinent ... has been the subject of dispute between India and Pakistan since the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947. The northern and western portions are administered by Pakistan and comprise three areas: Azad Kashmir, Gilgit, and Baltistan, the last two being part of a territory called the Northern Areas. Administered by India are the southern and southeastern portions, which constitute the state of Jammu and Kashmir but are slated to be split into two union territories.";
    (b) Pletcher, Kenneth, Aksai Chin, Plateau Region, Asia, Encyclopaedia Britannica, archived from the original on April 2, 2019, retrieved August 16, 2019 (subscription required) Quote: "Aksai Chin, Chinese (Pinyin) Aksayqin, portion of the Kashmir region, at the northernmost extent of the Indian subcontinent in south-central Asia. It constitutes nearly all the territory of the Chinese-administered sector of Kashmir that is claimed by India to be part of the Ladakh area of Jammu and Kashmir state.";
    (c) "Kashmir", Encyclopedia Americana, Scholastic Library Publishing, 2006, p. 328, Quote:"Some politicised terms also are used to describe parts of J&K. These terms include the words 'occupied' and 'held'."
  2. ^ a b c d e "Azad Kashmir". Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  3. ^ "Kashmir profile". BBC News. November 26, 2014. Archived from the original on July 16, 2015. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
  4. ^ "Usman Chachar Named New AJK Chief Secretary". Archived from the original on May 11, 2022. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  5. ^ a b Dr Pervez Tahir. "Education spending in AJK". The Express Tribune. Archived from the original on March 20, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  6. ^ "Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab". hdi.globaldatalab.org. Archived from the original on September 23, 2018. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  7. ^ "Azad Kashmir". Lexico UK English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on October 23, 2020.
  8. from the original on January 17, 2023. Retrieved December 21, 2016. Azad Kashmir – 'Free Kashmir,' the more populated and nominally self-governing part of Pakistani-controlled Kashmir
  9. ^ See:
  10. ^ "Azad Kashmir". www.britannica.com. Archived from the original on October 12, 2020. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
  11. ^ "Underdevelopment in AJK". The News International. Archived from the original on September 16, 2016. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  12. ^ "Education emergency: AJK leading in enrolment, lagging in quality – The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. March 26, 2013. Archived from the original on August 7, 2016. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  13. ^ a b Behera, Demystifying Kashmir (2007), p. 20.
  14. ^ a b Kapoor, Politics of Protests in Jammu and Kashmir (2014), Chapter 6, p. 273.
  15. ^ Ganai, Dogra Raj and the Struggle for Freedom in Kashmir (1999), Chapter 6, p. 341.
  16. ^ Saraf, Kashmiris Fight for Freedom, Volume 1 (2015), p. 663.
  17. ^ Saraf, Kashmiris Fight for Freedom, Volume 2 (2015), p. 9.
  18. ^ Puri, Balraj (November 2010), "The Question of Accession", Epilogue, 4 (11): 5, archived from the original on January 17, 2023, retrieved May 8, 2020
  19. ^ Saraf, Kashmiris Fight for Freedom, Volume 2 2015, pp. 148–149.
  20. ^ Saraf, Kashmiris Fight for Freedom, Volume 2 (2015), p. 547.
  21. ^ Saraf, Kashmiris Fight for Freedom, Volume 2 (2015), p. 547.
  22. ^ "The J&K conflict: A Chronological Introduction". India Together. Archived from the original on April 4, 2014. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
  23. ^ a b Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. "Kashmir (region, Indian subcontinent) – Britannica Online Encyclopedia". Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on March 1, 2010. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
  24. ^ Snedden 2013, p. 14: "Similarly, Muslims in Western Jammu Province, particularly in Poonch, many of whom had martial capabilities, and Muslims in the Frontier Districts Province strongly wanted J&K to join Pakistan.".
  25. ^ Bose 2003, pp. 32–33.
  26. from the original on January 17, 2023, retrieved September 27, 2016
  27. ^ Snedden 2013, p. 59.
  28. ^ Snedden 2013, p. 61.
  29. ^ "Kashmir: Why India and Pakistan fight over it". BBC News. November 23, 2016. Archived from the original on December 24, 2018. Retrieved June 21, 2018.
  30. ^ Bose 2003, pp. 35–36.
  31. ^ Prem Shankar Jha. "Grasping the Nettle". South Asian Journal. Archived from the original on May 16, 2010.[unreliable source?]
  32. ^ "UN resolution 47". Archived from the original on September 3, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2012.
  33. ^ "UNCIP Resolution of August 13, 1948 (S/1100) – Embassy of India, Washington, D.C." Archived from the original on October 13, 2007.
  34. ^ Snedden 2013, pp. 120, 121, 122.
  35. ^ "UNMOGIP: United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan". Archived from the original on May 14, 2008.
  36. .
  37. ^ "How free is Azad Kashsmir". The Indian Express. March 26, 2016. Archived from the original on March 27, 2016. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
  38. ^ "Rediff on the NeT: PoK not part of its territory: Pakistan". www.rediff.com. Archived from the original on July 19, 2019. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  39. ^ Ershad, Mahmud (September 1, 2006). "Status of AJK in Political Milieu". Institute of Policy Studies. Archived from the original on May 17, 2023. Retrieved May 17, 2023. There is a consensus that AJK does not belong to Pakistan geographically yet it is not an independent state either.
  40. ^ a b c "Azad Jammu and Kashmir – Introduction". Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved June 22, 2010.
  41. ^ a b "AJ&K Portal". ajk.gov.pk. Archived from the original on November 16, 2016. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  42. ^ "Pakistan to observe Kashmir Solidarity Day today". The Hindu. February 5, 2007. Archived from the original on February 7, 2007. Retrieved February 5, 2008.
  43. ^ "Kashmir Day being observed today". The News International. February 5, 2008. Retrieved February 5, 2008.[permanent dead link]
  44. ^ Adams, Brad (September 22, 2006). "Pakistan: 'Free Kashmir' Far From Free". Human Rights Watch. Archived from the original on March 14, 2013. Retrieved February 5, 2017.
  45. ^ a b c d e Snedden 2013, p. 93: "Second, Azad Kashmiris had always wanted to be part of this nation."
  46. ^ Bose 2003, p. 100.
  47. ^ "Report and Recommendation of the President to the Board of Directors on a Proposed Loan to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan for the Multisector Rehabilitation and Improvement Project for Azad Jammu and Kashmir" (PDF). Asian Development Bank. November 2004. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  48. ^ "Pakistan Donor Profile and Mapping" (PDF). United Nations in Pakistan. August 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 15, 2017. Retrieved February 5, 2017.
  49. ^ "Administrative Setup". ajk.gov.pk. Archived from the original on April 9, 2010. Retrieved May 17, 2010.
  50. ^ "Census 2017: AJK population rises to over 4m". The Nation. August 26, 2017. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
  51. ^ "AJ&K at a Glance". Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
  52. ^ With Friends Like These... (Report). Vol. 18. Human Rights Watch. September 2006. Archived from the original on December 2, 2013. Retrieved November 24, 2013.
  53. ^ "The Plight of Minorities in 'Azad Kashmir'". Asianlite.com. January 14, 2019. Archived from the original on April 15, 2020. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  54. from the original on January 17, 2023. Retrieved March 20, 2018. Confusingly, the term 'Kashmiri' also has wider connotations and uses. Some people in Azad Kashmir call themselves 'Kashmiris' This is despite most Azad Kashmiris not being of Kashmiri ethnicity. Indeed, most of their ethnic, cultural and historical links have been, and remain, with areas to the south and west of Azad Kashmir, chiefly Punjab and the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), now called Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. Nevertheless, Azad Kashmiris call themselves Kashmiris because of their region's historical connections with the former princely state of J&K that popularly was called Kashmir. Some Azad Kashmiris also call themselves Kashmiris simply because their region's official name, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, has the word Kashmir in it. (Using the same logic, Azad Kashmiris could call themselves "'Jammuites', which historically and culturally would be more accurate, or even 'Azadi- ites'.)
  55. from the original on January 17, 2023. Retrieved March 20, 2018.
  56. from the original on January 17, 2023. Retrieved March 20, 2018.
  57. , Kashmiri population in the northeast of Pakistan has strong historical, cultural and linguistic affinities with the neighbouring populations of upper Punjab and Potohar region of Pakistan.
  58. JSTOR 4397403, archived from the original
    (PDF) on March 4, 2016, retrieved July 19, 2020, ... they are best seen as forming the eastern and northern limits of the Potohari Punjabi culture which is otherwise characteristic of the upland parts of Rawalpindi and Jhelum Districts
  59. . Poonch at the time of partition was predominantly Muslim and the overwhelming majority of them were Sudhans, who were descendants of Pashtuns of Afghanistan, settled in the region some centuries ago.
  60. ^ Snedden 2013, p. 43: "Sudhans from Poonch considered themselves to be Sudho Zai Pathans (Pukhtoons), which explained why the Pashtun tribesmen from NWFP province lost no time coming to help Jammu and Kashmir's Muslims in 1947..".
  61. ^ a b c d e f Snedden 2013, Role of Biradaries (pp. 128–133)
  62. ^ a b c d "District Profile - Rawalakot/Poonch" (PDF). Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority. July 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 24, 2015. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
  63. ^ a b c d "District Profile - Bagh" (PDF). Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority. June 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 24, 2015. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
  64. ^ a b c d ""With Friends Like These...": Human Rights Violations in Azad Kashmir: II. Background". Human Rights Watch. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
  65. from the original on January 17, 2023. Retrieved June 12, 2019. Sudhan/Sudhozai – one of the main tribes of (southern) Poonch, allegedly originating from Pashtun areas.
  66. ^ Moss, Paul (November 30, 2006). "South Asia | The limits to integration". BBC News. Archived from the original on August 30, 2007. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
  67. from the original on January 17, 2023. Retrieved March 20, 2018.
  68. ^ a b Statistical Year Book 2020 (PDF). Muzaffarabad: AJ&K Bureau Of Statistics. pp. 131, 140. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
  69. ^ a b Rahman 1996, p. 226.
  70. ^ The preceding paragraph is mostly based on Lothers & Lothers (2010). For further references, see the bibliography in Pahari-Pothwari.
  71. ^ Akhtar & Rehman 2007, p. 68. The conclusion is based on lexical similarity and the comparison is with the Hindko of the Kaghan Valley and with the Pahari of the Murree Hills.
  72. ^ Hallberg & O'Leary 1992, pp. 96, 98, 100.
  73. ^ Hallberg & O'Leary 1992, pp. 93–94.
  74. ^ Hallberg & O'Leary 1992, pp. 111–12, 126.
  75. ^ Rahman 2002, p. 449; Rahman 1996, p. 226
  76. ^ Akhtar & Rehman 2007, p. 70.
  77. ^ Rahman 1996, p. 226; Rahman 2002, pp. 449–50. The discussion in both cases is in the broader context of Pakistan.
  78. ^ Akhtar & Rehman 2007, pp. 70, 75.
  79. ^ Akhtar & Rehman 2007.
  80. ^ http://www.ajk.gov.pk Archived May 10, 2015, at the Wayback Machine › ajk-at-a-glance|Ajk At A Glance-AJ&K Official Portal - Ajk Gov
  81. ^ "History of Planning & Development Department in AJK". Archived from the original on April 11, 2010.
  82. ^ "Azad Jammu & Kashmir – Tourism". Archived from the original on May 29, 2008. Retrieved June 22, 2010.
  83. ^ a b Naqash, Tariq (October 1, 2006). "'Rs1.25 trillion to be spent in Azad Kashmir': Reconstruction in quake-hit zone". Dawn. Muzaffarabad. Archived from the original on March 12, 2007. Retrieved October 1, 2006.
  84. ^ Suleri, Abid Qaiyum; Savage, Kevin. "Remittances in crises: a case study from Pakistan" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 22, 2007. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
  85. ^ "Literacy Rate in Azad Kashmir nearly 62 pc".
    Pakistan Times. MUZAFFARABAD (Azad Kashmir). September 27, 2004. Archived from the original
    on February 27, 2005.
  86. ^ "AJK at a Glance 2018 pndajk.gov.pk" (PDF). Planning & Development Department AJK. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 6, 2021.
  87. ^ "Ajk at a Glance 2019" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on May 6, 2021.
  88. ^ Hasan, Khalid (April 17, 2005). "Washington conference studies educational crisis in Pakistan". Daily Times. Washington. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Grace Clark told the conference that only 2.9% of Pakistanis had access to higher education.
  89. ^ "Our Institutions".
    Higher Education Commission of Pakistan. Archived from the original
    on October 29, 2013. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
  90. ^ "Recognized medical colleges in Pakistan". Pakistan Medical and Dental Council. Archived from the original on August 19, 2010. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
  91. ^ "Sarwali Peak (6326 m) – Highest Peak in Kashmir (AJK) | Pakistan Alpine Institute". Archived from the original on July 10, 2015. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
  92. ^ "Azad Kashmir" at britannica.com
  93. ^ "Pakistani Times". Pakistantimes.net. Archived from the original on June 14, 2011. Retrieved January 21, 2010.
Sources

Further reading

External links