PM Majeed returns to capital after one month, but only for two days

Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed returned to the seat of his government late on Sunday after almost a month, in what has been the longest absence of the chief executive from the state capital.

However, he will not be here for too long, as he is again scheduled to fly to the United Kingdom on November 6 to “supervise” arrangements for a public meeting of PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on November 15.

Recently, the AJK premier had announced from UK that he would organise a “biggest ever public meeting in the Britain’s history” for Mr Bilawal in Birmingham.

The announcement was made by him in the wake of an unpleasant happening with the young PPP chairman at London’s “Kashmir Million March” on October 26. It is still unclear that who had invited Mr Bilawal at the event, which the organisers had repeatedly declared would remain apolitical and Kashmir centric.

It may be recalled that Mr Majeed had left Muzaffarabad on October 4 for Kashmir House Islamabad, cynically referred to as the de-facto capital of the AJK government.

From there, he drove to his hometown for a day to celebrate Eid ul Azha and returned to Kashmir House to stay there until October 9, missing the 9th anniversary function of the devastating October 8, 2005 earthquake in Muzaffarabad, to the chagrin of government officials, opposition and civil society.

 On October 9, Mr Majeed flew along with many of his cabinet colleagues to Karachi in connection with PPP’s October 18 public meeting where Mr Bilawal formally launched his political career in the country.

Mr Majeed and his cabinet members camped themselves in the provincial capital for ten days, notwithstanding criticism back home, only to remain in the good books of their party leadership.

He returned from Karachi on October 19 and after staying in Kashmir House over the next five days, flew to France on October 23.

The purpose of visit, according to an official notification, was to attend the book launch of ‘Benazir Papers’ by PPP Senator Jehangir Badar and “interact with Kashmiri Pakistani community and European parliamentarians in France, Belgium and UK.”

This time round, Mr Majeed missed the 67th anniversary of the foundation of AJK government in the state capital on October 24.

Interestingly, it was for the first time that not a single cabinet member was among the attendees of the police parade, which is the main event of the foundation day celebrations in Muzaffarabad.

From Paris, Mr Majeed came to London along with Mr Bilawal to attend “Million March” organised by Barrister Sultan Mahmood, his archrival within the ruling party. However, he remained largely unnoticed at the march, due to his unfriendly ties with Mr Mahmood, an open secret in AJK.

The prime minister returned to Pakistan on Monday and from there to Muzaffarabad late in the evening, but only for two days, which incidentally were holidays. He left for Islamabad on Tuesday morning. 

It was unclear whether the expenses of his upcoming tour would be met from state exchequer or from donations from the UK.

However, civil society was up in the arms against the absence of the chief executive and most of his cabinet members from the capital in the name of one or the other political activity.

“He has been elected to serve the AJK people. There is no justification for him to spend his time and the taxpayer’ money on activities that are of no benefit to us,” said Abdul Hafeez Azad, a civil society activist from Neelum valley.

University student Aamna Khan was more critical.

“This government has left the AJK people at the mercy of circumstances. When the prime minister is away for weeks and his cabinet members follow the suit the already dismal governance is bound to go to dogs,” she said. 

When asked, Shaukat Javed Mir, one of the spokespersons of Mr Majeed, justified his absence of “for being in connection with projection of Kashmir issue.”

“You see he has been busy in engagements that have highlighted Kashmir issue. The criticism is simply uncalled for,” he said.

Tariq Naqash

PML-N minister's 'cordiality' with PPP govt spotlights AJK Council affairs

The growing “contacts and cordiality” between the Federal Minister for Kashmir affairs Chaudhry Barjees Tahir and the Peoples Party led Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government have served to create a gulf between him and the AJK chapter of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N).

And at the same time, they have once again turned the spotlight on the unbridled spending of AJK taxpayers’ hard earned money at the hands of those who are at the helm in any respect in the AJK Council, an institution of which Mr Tahir happens to be the in-charge federal minister.

Such is the state of affairs that the PML-N AJK chapter has called for intervention of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the situation, in a recently dispatched letter. Mr Sharif has also been requested to replace Mr Tahir in the likely cabinet reshuffle by someone else, who does not have biradri (clannish) connections in AJK.

Mr Tahir who not too long ago would be denounced by the PPP led AJK government, a day in and a day out, for his insistence on elimination of alleged corruption and improvement of governance in AJK has not only mended fences with the local PPP leaders, but is also alleged to be facilitating them, to the chagrin of his party’s AJK chapter, sources say.

On October 27, when Mr Tahir travelled to Muzaffarabad with acting Prime Minister Chaudhry Mohammad Yasin to attend the ‘Black Day’ demonstration under the aegis of the AJK government, none of the PML-N leaders was seen meeting and greeting him here, thus bringing in the open the disagreement between the two sides, sources added.

“The PML-N believes that Mr Tahir is in cahoots with some PPP leaders in AJK, presumably on the basis of biradri, and for that reason he is not only doling them out the AJK Council funds, but also helping them have lent officers of their choice posted in AJK,” confided a source in the PML-N.

It may be recalled here that the federal minister for Kashmir affairs also happens to be the in-charge federal minister of the AJK Council, an institution created through the AJK’s Interim Constitution Act, 1974, and headed by the Prime Minister of Pakistan.

Interestingly, neither the prime minister nor the federal minister take oath for these positions under the AJK’s Interim Constitution.

The Council, which comprises six members elected by the AJK Assembly and as many co-opted from the Parliament of Pakistan, was created to serve as a bridge between the governments in Islamabad and Muzaffarabad. However, contrarily, people believe, it has turned itself into a parallel government, which in no way is answerable to the AJK people.  

Its main source of income is 20 per cent of the income tax, it generates from the AJK territory as well as (entire) license fees from the telecom companies operating in AJK. The remaining 80 per cent of income tax is given to the AJK government. 

However, what has always been an issue of serious concern for the AJK people is the wanton disbursement of Council funds, largely at the discretion of its in-charge federal minister.

In the current year’s budget, which is yet to be passed, the Council has earmarked Rs 2.6 billion for developmental activities within AJK and Pakistan, even though legally it is not mandated to carry out developmental work within the territory of AJK.

However, this law has never been followed, as these development activities at inflated rates suit the vested interests. They are filling their pockets, without any fear of inquiry or monitoring by any accountability body in AJK and Pakistan.

The AJK based media has no access to the Council records and the Pakistan based media has no interest in its affairs. Those few who try to dig out details are offered tempting “schemes” which many hardly refuse, and hence the loot and plunder goes on with impunity.

In the current year’s budget, the federal minister has placed a staggering Rs 300 million for developmental activities anywhere in AJK and Pakistan at his discretion. Rs 45 million each have been proposed at the discretion of the AJK president, who happens to be the vice chairman of Council, the AJK prime minister and the six elected members.

In the absence of any criterion for spending, these funds are mostly frittered away. 

Mr Tahir has also brought an Executive Engineer (XEN) from Punjab to head the Development Wing of the AJK Council as Superintending Engineer (SE), so that everything - from preparation of schemes to their execution – is done by the Council itself.

Resultantly, now no one else will be able to share the kickbacks.  

The PML-N AJK leaders had long been demanding special audit of the AJK Council, particularly after allegations that its former in-charge federal minister in the PPP government, Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo, had “shamelessly abused the Council funds to mint money for himself and cronies.”

However, they feel exasperated after Mr Tahir has not only “brushed off that demand but has himself adopted the course of his predecessors,” sources say.

Sources disclose that the PML-N AJK leadership, which is not on talking terms with Mr Tahir for quite some time, also believes that he has an “attitude problem.”

During his recent tour to Kotli, Mr Tahir was alleged to have misbehaved with two PML-N lawmakers.

 The PML-N AJK has demanded of PM Sharif to take stock of the situation. Besides, it has given him some suggestions to ensure judicious spending of the AJK Council funds.

“The AJK taxpayers’ money in the Council has always been misused as political bribe by successive federal ministers and ironically the vice is being continued by the incumbent minister,” the PML-N AJK is said to have complained to Mr Sharif along with some pieces of evidence.

However, publicly the PML-N AJK leaders are tight-lipped about the differences, “lest it can aggravate problems for Mr Sharif, already upset by the Imran Khan led offensive,” sources say.  

“We are virtually helpless. We cannot show our wounds to the public. But if the situation remains unheeded it will eventually deal a serious blow to us in the next elections,” remarked a PML-N leader on condition of anonymity.

When this scribed contacted Raja Farooq Haider, PML-N president in AJK, he confirmed the differences, though cautiously.

“We have some reservations which we have brought in the notice of our central leadership,” he said.

Interestingly before the last year’s general elections in Pakistan, Mr Sharif had pledged in his election manifesto to empower the AJK government by transferring it most of the Council’s legislative powers. However, more than a year on, he has not found time to pay attention to this issue.

As Mr Sharif owes gratitude to PPP for its support to him in the crises kicked up by PTI and PAT, he has turned a blind eye towards the allegations of corruption against the AJK government. A comprehensive document prepared by PML-N MLA Chaudhry Tariq Farooq, in this regard, is therefore gathering dust in the PM’s office in Islamabad.  

Early this year, it was the PPP in AJK seeking Mr Tahir's removal from Kashmir affair's ministry and as the year draws to a close it’s his own PML-N in AJK making a similar demand, though apparently for unalike reasons.

Whatever may be the cause it’s however a blessing in disguise, because it calls attention to the misuse of funds in the AJK Council and the dire need for its reorganization through the much touted reforms in the AJK’s Interim Constitution.

Tariq Naqash 

Doctor accused of attempted rape of a young girl remanded in police custody

 A specialist doctor, accused of attempting to rape a young female patient at a major health facility in the district headquarters of Poonch, has been remanded in police custody for five days on Saturday.

Dr Gul Nisar, serving as ENT specialist in the Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan (SKZN) Hospital, Rawalakot, was arrested past midnight after an application was lodged against him in the City Police Station by the father of a 13-year old girl, who alleged that he had molested her in the separate room earlier in the evening.

According to the FIR, the girl was brought by her father to SKZN Hospital on Friday morning due to a nasal problem and she was admitted in the ENT ward by a duty doctor. In the afternoon, the accused ENT specialist, during a round of the ENT ward, took her to a procedure room, "where he asked her to remove her trousers and then fingered her genitals."

The distraught girl rushed out of the procedure room, sobbing, and narrated her ordeal to her father while the accused doctor slipped away from the ward, the FIR stated.

Sources told this scribe that the girl’s father brought the issue in the notice of hospital’s commandant, who then recorded her statement in the presence of senior doctors.

The FIR was lodged after the girl’s statement to the hospital authorities, sources said, adding, in the meanwhile the local civil society had also swung into action to get the alleged accused punished.

Police said that the accused was booked under section 18 ZHA (attempt for rape) and the arrest was made at about 12:30 am.

SHO City Police Station Akmal Sharif told this scribe that the accused physician denies the allegations, saying he had himself brought the girl back in the ward from the procedure room and then left for his flat. 

When contacted, DG health Sardar Mahmood Ahmed Khan said that he had received a report about the alleged incident from the hospital authorities, apart from other sources. He said though he had  initiated departmental proceedings for the suspension of the accused doctor, an order to this effect would however be issued after Eid holidays.

The accused doctor, said to be in his early 30s', is single and was going to tie the nuptial knot later this month.

On Saturday, when he was produced before the additional session judge for remand, some lawyers tried to rough him up.

The local medical fraternity however condemned the lawyers’ attitude.

“We had already made it clear that if allegations are proven, the law should take its course. Nonetheless, the attitude of lawyers is condemnable,” said Dr Wajid Khan, president PMA, Poonch chapter.

…. Tariq Naqash 

Intelligence agency official beaten for 'blackmailing a female student'

A man who claimed he served in an intelligence agency was beaten black and blue by the University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (UAJK) students here on Thursday, allegedly for blackmailing a female student in connivance with a non-local academician.

Afterwards, the students brought the injured official to the office of Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Muzaffarabad Irfan Masood Kashfi, with his mobile phone and that of the victim as an evidence of their allegations.

Both the phones were handed over to the SSP “so that he could see for himself the obnoxious texts sent by the accused to the victim.”

The accused, when confronted by some media persons in one of the chambers of SSP’s office, claimed that he would visit the University for “verification of students for the scholarships.”

However, he could not offer a plausible reply when asked that in which capacity he was carrying out such a task.

Later, student leaders Zubair Ahmed Mir, Farooq Mir, Raja Asad Farooq, Mehtab Abbasi, Asim Kamran and Mahmood Ahmed Mir held a press conference on the issue and called for exemplary punishment to all those involved in the heinous act of blackmailing female students for carnal desires.

They alleged that the accused official in connivance with Mr Abdul Majeed Niazi, Director, Institute of Education, UAJK, started texting her from September 26 initially to facilitate her scholarship, while introducing himself as Captain Sheraz from an intelligence agency.

On Thursday morning, he arrived at the entrance of the UAJK’s City Campus and kept on pressing the girl through text messages to come out for a date with him, they said.  

As the victim had already shared her plight with a class representative (CR), dozens of infuriated students got hold of the accused on the main road outside the city campus and started beating him like anything, they added.

According to them, when the mobile of the accused was snatched, he claimed that it belonged to Mr Niazi, a resident of Mianwali appointed in the UAJK under Tenure Track System more than two years ago.

The student leaders further claimed that when they were bringing the accused to the SSP office, he begged them to let him go and in return he would share details about the network that blackmailed the female students.

Initially apprehensive of police, the student leaders however praised them at the press conference for their “positive attitude and cooperation.”

In the afternoon, the victim also recorded her statement before Deputy Commissioner Masoodur Rehman, wherein she reportedly said that she was being blackmailed by the agency official and the UAJK director.

When contacted, SSP Kashfi told this scribe late in the evening that since the accused claimed himself to be an employee of an intelligence agency, he had been handed over to them for trial by a military court.

“We have recorded evidence and statements of all concerned and the same has also been provided to the concerned military authorities for further action under the law,” he said. 

He said due to the alleged involvement of a UAJK director in this case, the police had also taken Vice Chancellor Dr Syed Dilnawaz Ahmed Gardezi on board, and the latter had committed to hold an internal inquiry by October 20.

 Earlier in the day, a UAJK spokesman said that the Vice Chancellor had taken serious notice of the brawl between the students and an “outsider” outside the city campus and formed a committee to hold impartial and independent investigations and submit its report at the earliest.

The committee is headed by dean faculty of science and engineering Prof Dr Mohammad Rustam Khan and includes dean faculty of arts Prof Dr Nadeem Haider Bukhari, director students’ affairs Prof Amir Farooq and his predecessor Prof Ikram ur Rasheed and coordinator BS (education) programme Prof Siddique Awan.   

“The Vice Chancellor has made it clear that no one can be allowed to vitiate the academic environment of the sacred institution and that stern action will be taken in case any varsity official was found guilty,” the spokesman said.

Tariq Naqash

intra Kashmir travel from Chakothi-Uri to resume from Sept 29

Intra-Kashmir travel from Chakothi-Uri crossing point towards the south of Muzaffarabad will resume on September 29, after remaining suspended for three consecutive weeks.

However, of the 161 AJK residents stranded across the Line of Control (LoC), repatriation of eleven members of a Karachi based Kashmiri family took place on Tuesday on emergency basis due to death of their kinsman here, sources told this scribe.

Sources said that the AJK and India-held Kashmir officials were scheduled to hold a meeting on Wednesday at Kaman Bridge, which marks the divide between the two parts of Kashmir, to settle issues for formal resumption of Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service from Monday (Sept 29). 

 The travel and trade from Chakothi-Uri point in Muzaffarabad division and Tetrinote-Chakan da Bagh point in Poonch division had been suspended on September 8, after floods and landslides wrecked havoc in both parts of the disputed Himalayan region.

However, while trade and travel resumed from Tetrinote-Chakan da Bagh point from September 15, it could not recommence from Chakothi-Uri point due to enormous infrastructure losses in Kashmir Valley in general and its capital Srinagar in particular.

Following the repatriation of 11 persons on Tuesday, the number of AJK residents, stranded across the LoC, scaled down to 150. On the other hand, 14 residents of held Kashmir are stuck up in AJK. 

All these people had crossed the LoC through Chakothi-Uri point.

Separately, from the Chilyana-Titwal crossing point in Neelum valley, crossing of 2 AJK and 5 held Kashmir residents would take place on Thursday next, sources said.

Intra-Kashmir travel via Chilyana-Titwal takes place once in a fortnight on Thursdays.

Also on Tuesday, 14 trucks from AJK and 9 trucks from India-held Kashmir had lined up along the Kaman Bridge to ferry intra-Kashmir trade items to the opposite sides.

However, they could not ply across the bridge reportedly due to some internal problem on the Indian side, sources said.

The crossing of trucks would now take place on Wednesday.

It may be recalled that on Monday (Sept 22), 33 passengers - 24 returning residents of AJK and 9 fresh travellers from AJK – had travelled across the LoC from the Tetrinote crossing point.

……. Tariq Naqash

Hizbul Mujahideen supremo slams Islamabad's 'criminal silence' over Kashmir floods

   The top leader of Hizbul Mujahideen, Kashmir’s largest militant group, has cautioned Islamabad that its “criminal silence” over losses in the century’s worst floods in India-held Kashmir could reverse the “pro-Pakistan sentiments” among the marooned Kashmiris.

 Syed Salahuddin, who also heads the United Jihad Council (UJC), an alliance of over a dozen Kashmiri fighter groups, said there was no doubt that India had left the flood affected Kashmiris in the lurch, but at the same time Pakistan had also avoided talking about their plight at the official level.

“Kashmiris have been raising ‘long live Pakistan’ slogans for the past 68 years, but if they reshape their views owing to your cowardice attitude and criminal silent, do you have any right to object to it?” he questioned the Pakistani rulers at a press conference in Muzaffarabad on Tuesday.

Salahuddin said people of Kashmir were less saddened by the impact of the devastating flood and more by the silence of those from whom they expected empathy and support.

“We know that Narendra Modi shed crocodile tears (on losses in held territory) because in effect he has no sympathy for the Kashmiris, but Pakistan’s indifference was more painful.”

It may be recalled that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif twice flew into Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) in the aftermath of torrential rains and flash floods to assess the losses and express solidarity with the affected people.

Though he did briefly mention that India held Kashmir had also suffered enormous losses, he however stopped short of categorically offering sympathies or any support to the victims across the divide.

“Who stopped him from speaking in favour of Kashmiris? What is the reason for this criminal negligence,” Salahuddin questioned, while mentioning Sharif’s visit to Haveli. 

He was also critical of Parliament’s “failure” to adopt a unanimous resolution to express solidarity with the victims of worst ever floods in held Kashmir in general and Srinagar in particular.

On Friday, Pakistan’s both houses of Parliament concluded their longest joint session during which the perceived threat to democracy from the sit-ins of PAT and PIT was the focus of political discourse.

The parliamentarians unanimously passed a resolution emphatically reiterating their unequivocal and unwavering resolve to uphold the supremacy of the Parliament, the constitution, democracy and state institutions.

However, even though the Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah passionately spoke about the marooned Kashmiris, a resolution was not passed to express solidarity and support to them, something which was also criticised by JI Pakistan ameer Sirajul Haq some two days ago after meeting APHC representatives in Islamabad.

“They have been saying that Kashmir is their jugular vein. But today I am dubious about the veracity of this claim. Mr Nawaz Sharif, its mere lip service,” Salahuddin said.

He claimed that a resolution to be passed by the Parliament was at hand, but it was withheld at the last moment lest it might not annoy the Indian premier.

Salahuddin recalled that soon after the floods, Mr Modi not only announced a package for the flood hit Kashmiris but also offered help for flood victims in AJK.

“While thanking Mr Modi, Prime Minister Sharif should have seized the opportunity to ask him to let Pakistan help the Kashmiris who have suffered colossal losses,” he said.

“We know he (Modi) would not have accepted the request, but that would have exposed him besides sending a good message across the divide… Alas that chance was missed,” he added.

Salahuddin also shared sector wise details of losses in held Kashmir, and warned that if international organisations did not pay immediate attention to the landlocked Himalayan region, hundreds of thousands of deaths could hardly be prevented.

“Since cholera and famine are gripping the Valley, fears of more deaths loom large.”

The UJC chief said that soon after the floods, the mujahideen groups had asked their cadres in held Kashmir to halt offensive operations against the Indian army and instead focus on relief and rescue efforts.

Salahuddin demanded of Pakistan to officially ask India to allow transportation of relief goods from the Line of Control (LoC).

On Monday, the AJK Legislative Assembly had made an almost had also made an almost similar demand to India to allow aid to the marooned population of held Valley through the LoC.

To a question about the help offer by the AJK government, Salahuddin maintained that he was yet to see any practical step on the ground in this regard.

…… Tariq Naqash

marches planned in London, Brussels to highlight Kashmir issue

Tens of thousands of Kashmiris will stage a peaceful march in London on October 26 under the initiative of a top political leader from Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) to draw the attention of the international community towards the longstanding Kashmir dispute on the one hand and express solidarity with their struggling brethren in the Indian held territory on the other.

 An almost identical demonstration will be staged in Brussels, the de facto capital of the European Union, on October 27, which marks the 67th anniversary of Kashmir’s invasion by the Indian army.

“The march is aimed at reminding the international community of its pledge to the natives of Jammu and Kashmir, a nuclear flashpoint in South Asia, who have been dauntlessly struggling and offering unparalleled sacrifices for its implementation,” said AJK’s former Prime Minister Barrister Sultan Mahmood at a press conference here.

“It is also aimed at expressing solidarity with those struggling people who have not compromised their cause in the face of worst ever atrocities by the so-called largest democracy (India),” he added.

Mr Mahmood, who has been on his toes for the past couple of months to motivate people and make arrangements for the proposed event, said he firmly believed that it was high time, in view of the prevailing international scenario, to draw global attention towards the festering Kashmir issue.

“An unresolved Kashmir issue poses severe threat not only to the regional peace but also to the interests of some important world powers, which warrants its amicable settlement without further loss of time,” he said.

He said even though the international community had pinned hopes that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi would adopt a realistic stance on Kashmir issue, he had however proved himself other way round “exactly according to apprehensions of the Kashmiris.”

“There has no let up in India’s traditional intransigence and in fact the persecution of Kashmiris has multiplied under Mr Modi. We also want to expose him before the world,” he said.  

Mr Mahmood maintained that irrespective of its outcome, the referendum in Scotland had also strengthened the case of Kashmiris.

“If it could be held in Scotland on the basis of a bill in the Scottish parliament, why not in Jammu and Kashmir where it is backed by United Nations Security Council resolutions, apart from the commitments of international community, including India,” he questioned.

He told that permission for the march in London had almost been obtained, while it was under process for Brussels.

In London, the march would begin from the Trafalgar Square and conclude outside 10 Downing Street, the official residence of British Prime Minister, he said.

“In Brussels, we plan to hold it from the European Parliament to the Indian High Commission,” he added.

To a question, Mr Mahmood said, since it was a national programme, he had made contacts with “everyone who was someone” in the Kashmiri and Pakistani diasporas in the UK and elsewhere in Europe.

He called upon all political and religious parties to leave aside their difference and prove as a Kashmiri nation that “we are one on our common national cause.”  

He said he wished that the pro-freedom leaders from Indian held Kashmir were also able to attend the march in London or Brussels.

“As far as AJK based heads of political and religious parties are concerned, I would love to see them among the participants of the march,” he said.

“However, I am not in favour of the (participation of the) governments because I want to keep it purely a peoples’ initiative,” he added.

“If people of held Kashmir are offering their lives, we have to rise above paying mere lip service to them…With participation in this march, we have to prove to them that they are not alone in their struggle but we all are on their back.”

….. Tariq Naqash

'Neglect, poor telecom and road networks' add to the miseries of victims in Haveli

Situated on the rugged mountains of Pir Panjal range along the heavily militarised Line of Control (LoC), Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s (AJK) tiny Haveli district still reels from the horrendous effects of flash floods and torrential rains, even as apparently Mother Nature’s fury seems to have subsided over the past 48 hours.

According to official figures, a total of 64 people lost their lives across AJK after heavy rains lashed the region after September 1. Of them, 29 casualties took place in Haveli district alone, which is spread over 856 sq. kilometres with a population of 165,000 people.

These deaths were caused by house collapsing, landslides and incidents of drowning in the ragging torrents, most of which had to be crossed without proper bridges.

“Indeed, the situation we are going through for the past 7-8 days is nightmarish. The weather became unkind beyond our imagination, rendering us virtually helpless before its wrath,” said Raja Mohammad Irshad, Haveli’s deputy commissioner (DC).

He spoke to this scribe on Tuesday afternoon in his office in Forward Kahuta, the sleepy district headquarters of Haveli, amid a meeting to review relief and rescue work as well as arrangements for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s scheduled visit to the area on Wednesday.

“Rains are continuing intermittently, and so are the landslides, aggravating the plight of affected people,” he said.

In Muzaffarabad, Saeed Qureshi, an official at the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) told that the onslaught of monsoon rains was severest than their spadework.

“We had identified vulnerable populations along the banks of rivers and torrents and issued timely warning to them, but unusually intense rains played havoc with everything, particularly in the mountain villages,” he said. 

The mud houses could not survive unrelenting rains due to which there were many incidents of house collapsing, he added. 

In Haveli district, the amount of rainfall was a staggering 400 millimetres in a single day, which had no parallel in the past 50 years, he said.

Residents of Haveli castigated the government functionaries for the “unending apathy and neglect” of their problems that they said had multiplied losses in the wake of weather’s fury.

What adds to their anger is the poor telecom network, run by the Special Communications Organisation (SCO), a subsidiary of Pakistan army.

It may be mentioned here that Haveli and Neelum are the two AJK districts where multi national mobile phone companies have not been allowed to launch their operations due to the so-called security reasons.

Resultantly, the residents there are left with no choice but to use SCO’s mobile phone facility, which has limited as well as pathetic coverage.

In Haveli, this facility is the worse for wear.

“Had there been mobile phone facility the affected persons could have conveyed their plight to the officials concerned instantly and subsequently the rescue operations could have begun without further loss of time,” said local resident Aziz Dar.

Similarly, the poorly maintained road network had also contributed to the suffering of people. Many roads ran through water channels for want of bridges and that was why several casualties had occurred by drowning, he added.

DC Irshad agreed that the “poor telecommunication and road communication” had contributed to this number of casualties.

“The (poor) telecommunications and road communications have been two major hurdles in efficient, effective and timely relief and rescue services,” he said.  

Rahat Shaikh, one of the affected residents of Haveli, said mobile phone facility could have helped residents warn each other of the looming threats.

“We had no means to contact fellow villagers, relatives in other areas and government officials due to bad telecom and road networks,” he said, as he carried his family to some relatives in a pickup.

Mr Qureshi also agreed that poor telecom network and lack of early warning dissemination system had led to excessive losses in Haveli.

“Even if one resident knew wanted to warn others of any threat or needed any help, he was unable to communicate with others,” he said.

DC Irshad said that at the moment the only road link between Forward Kahuta and the rest of AJK was the one through Bagh and that was for small vehicles only.

Heavy traffic would ply through Abbaspur-Hajira-Rawalakot road, which was still blocked.

“Its due to the blockade of this road that we are unable to transport tents from Rawalpindi. And if it did not open within 3-4 days we may also face food shortage,” he said.

Even the inter district roads were also blocked. Vehicles could not go beyond five kilometres radius of the district headquarters, due to the huge landslides.

“Towards my north, road to sub-division Khurshidabad has been wiped out at about 18 spots,” Mr Irshad said, adding, two dozers were working to create a track for small vehicles.

According to him, so far 380 families had been rendered homeless. However, the number was bound to swell, as many affected persons had no means to move out of their vulnerable areas.

Masood Rathore, a former MLA from Haveli, said 60 per cent of the district was still inaccessible as roads had either been wiped out or blocked by landslides.

“People have become hostage in their vulnerable areas. The government should send more earth removing machines to clear roads or else more casualties may occur,” he said, adding, tents were also badly required for the homeless affectees.

According to Shaikh Arif, an official of a local body here, there was only one civilian health facility for the whole district, but with only one doctor. “A Military Dressing Facility (MDS) in the town is a blessing,” he said.

Mohammad Asadullah, an elderly resident of Haveli, recalled that his area used to enjoy all facilities prior to 1947.

“We would study and shop in occupied Poonch city which is hardly 10 kilometres from here. From there, we could quite comfortably travel to Srinagar or Muzaffarabad or Rawalpindi via Uri,” he said.

However, after 1947 that portion of road was captured by India and over the next 20 years we didn’t see any vehicle coming to our area, he added.

Like Neelum valley, Haveli has also seen huge casualties in cross-LoC bombardment that was a regular happening before 2003.

“From natural to man made calamities, we have suffered a lot. We hope that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will offer us some preferential treatment on Wednesday in view of our sacrifices and sufferings,” he said.

…….Tariq Naqash