GPS-tagged endangered vulture traced to Pir Chinasi highlands

 Wildlife authorities in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) said on Tuesday that a critically endangered vulture fitted with sophisticated satellite-tracking equipment, captured in the 9,500-foot-high Pir Chinasi area, would soon be released back into the wild. 

A video clip recorded on Monday by Muzaffarabad resident Xain Raja and widely circulated on social media showed a group of locals carefully examining the large bird of prey after safely capturing it with a net when it landed in the highland, apparently weakened by hunger and exhaustion.  

The dark-coloured scavenger, identified as a White-rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis) by the distinct white patch on its lower back, was found to be carrying a solar-powered GPS transmitter and a yellow wing tag bearing the code “F49”. 

The White-rumped Vulture is listed as “Critically Endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). 

Wildlife officials said the harness and electronic device attached to the bird were standard tools used in international migratory research and conservation programmes. They added that the bird appeared healthy and calm when it was examined. 

Dr Shaista Ali, monitoring officer at the AJK Wildlife Department, said the vulture was believed to have flown more than 1,000 kilometres across the Himalayan region from Nepal, which runs one of the world’s most successful vulture conservation programmes. 

She said Nepal’s initiatives included the Jatayu Restaurant project and the release of GPS-tagged vultures from the Kasara Breeding Centre. Researchers there routinely use yellow wing tags and solar-powered GPS Platform Transmitter Terminals (PTTs) similar to those attached to the bird found in Pir Chinasi. 

“The presence of ‘F49’ in Muzaffarabad is a significant data point for international researchers,” Dr Ali said. “It confirms that these vultures are traversing the Himalayan corridor linking Nepal, India and Pakistan.” 

She noted that the White-rumped Vulture population had suffered a catastrophic decline of nearly 99 per cent during the 1990s due to diclofenac poisoning caused by the veterinary drug widely administered to livestock. 

According to Dr Ali, Nepal’s tagging programme aimed to monitor whether rehabilitated vultures could survive and restore their historic migratory patterns in the wild. 

“The fact that this vulture reached the heights of Pir Chinasi suggests that the species is attempting to reclaim its historical migratory routes,” she said. 

Jazba Shafi, a range officer in the Wildlife Department, said the bird had temporarily been taken into custody at an army installation in Pir Chinasi to verify that the tracking equipment was not being used for espionage purposes. 

“They are feeding the bird properly and have assured us that it will be handed over to the Wildlife Department within a day so it can be released back into the wild,” he said. 

Dr Ali said the department was also coordinating with international conservation agencies to ensure that the bird’s tracking data was properly documented before its release. 

“The presence of this vulture in Pir Chinasi reminds us that our region is a vital link in a global ecological chain,” she said. “When we protect our forests and mountains, we are not just conserving local wildlife but supporting a biological network that spans continents.”

Tariq Naqash

Shehbaz seeks report on long-awaited Leepa Tunnel project, claims PML-N leader

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has sought a report on the long-awaited Leepa Tunnel project and directed the National Highway Authority (NHA) to prepare its PC-I for approval, raising hopes of progress on a scheme aimed at providing all-weather access to the strategically located valley, a PML-N leader said on Tuesday.

Situated about 100 kilometres southeast of Muzaffarabad along the Line of Control, Leepa Valley is home to around 80,000 people and remains inaccessible for weeks during winter due to heavy snowfall over mountain passes located at an altitude of around 10,000 feet.

Residents of the valley have long been demanding the construction of a tunnel from Reshian to ensure year-round connectivity and facilitate the movement of residents, patients and goods.

They have also staged several protest demonstrations to press for the construction of the tunnel to alleviate their hardships, with PPP leader Shaukat Javed Mir among the key organisers.

Syed Mukhtar Gillani, a PML-N leader from Leepa Valley, told journalists that the development came after he raised the issue before PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif during a meeting of party candidates for the upcoming AJK elections in Lahore on Friday.

He said Nawaz Sharif had asked him about travel conditions to Leepa Valley, to which he replied that although the PML-N government had constructed a better road network, the area continued to remain cut off during winters owing to heavy snowfall.

According to Mr Gillani, Nawaz Sharif subsequently directed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to ensure an early resolution of the longstanding issue.

He said officials from the Prime Minister’s Office later contacted him and sought details of the proposed tunnel project, after which he obtained recommendations and related documents from the AJK Planning and Development Department and submitted them to the federal authorities on Tuesday.

Mr Gillani said he had subsequently been informed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had directed the NHA to prepare the PC-I of the proposed project and seek its formal approval.

“We are personally grateful to Nawaz Sharif for paving the way for resolving this longstanding issue,” he said, adding that he remained in contact with NHA officials and was hopeful that the dream of the Leepa Tunnel would now become a reality.

The project was first announced by Shehbaz Sharif during an election rally in Leepa in June 2011 when he was chief minister of Punjab. Later, after the PML-N came to power at the Centre in 2013, the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif endorsed the initiative.

Subsequently, the Executive Board of the National Highway Authority approved the PC-I for construction of a 3.79-kilometre tunnel along with realignment of the access road in its 239th meeting held in Islamabad in September 2014.

The project was later cleared by the Central Development Working Party at an estimated cost of Rs7.3 billion. According to the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs’ performance report (2013–15), Rs50 million were also earmarked under the federal Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for 2014–15.

However, the project could not make headway in subsequent years.

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Justice Bahar sworn in as acting Chief Justice of AJK High Court

Justice Syed Shahid Bahar, the senior puisne judge of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) High Court, was sworn in as acting chief justice of the court on Tuesday. 

The oath, which coincided with Justice Bahar’s 60th birth anniversary, was administered by AJK acting president Chaudhry Latif Akbar at a well-attended ceremony held at the President’s House. 

Justice Bahar will perform the functions of acting chief justice until the return of Chief Justice Sardar Liaquat Hussain on June 8 from Saudi Arabia, where he flew early on Tuesday to perform Hajj. 

The ceremony was attended by AJK’s senior minister for law, justice and parliamentary affairs Mian Abdul Waheed, former chief justices Syed Manzoor Hussain Gillani, Chaudhry Ibrahim Zia and Sadaqat Hussain Raja, Islamabad High Court Bar Association president Syed Wajid Ali Gilani, former vice chairman of the Islamabad Bar Council Barrister Syed Qamar Hussain Shah Sabzwari, Jammu Kashmir Council for Human Rights president Dr Syed Nazir Gillani, senior civil servants, and a large number of members of the bench and bar from Muzaffarabad and other districts of AJK.

Justice Bahar descends from a distinguished intellectual lineage in Muzaffarabad, a family whose name is synonymous with the region's literary and educational evolution. He is the son of the late Syed Bahauddin Bahar, a pioneering educationist widely revered for bringing the "flame of learning" to the once-inaccessible reaches of the Neelum Valley. This legacy of public service and scholarship was carried forward by his elder sisters, Syeda Amina Bahar Roona and Syeda Sajida Bahar, both of whom served with distinction in the education sector as dedicated teachers and capable administrators. Ms. Roona, in particular, has earned a lasting reputation as an acclaimed poet. One of his brothers-in-law, Syed Saleem Gardezi, retired as a senior civil servant and is also a seasoned author with several books to his credit. 

The family’s influence extends deep into the realm of letters and civic engagement through Justice Bahar's younger brother, Syed Arif Bahar. A prominent journalist and author in his own right, Syed Arif Bahar twice served as president of the Central Press Club Muzaffarabad. His spouse, Gulzar Fatima, is a former Member of the AJK Legislative Assembly, who currently serves as the secretary of the Pakistan Red Crescent Society’s AJK chapter, leading key humanitarian initiatives in the region.

Together, the siblings represent a generational commitment to the intellectual and cultural advancement of their homeland, rooted in their father's foundational work.

    Tariq Naqash

Kashmir’s destiny linked to a strong Pakistan: PM Rathore

Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore on Monday declared that the relationship between the people of Kashmir and Pakistan was anchored in a shared ideology, asserting that a “prosperous and stable Pakistan” remained the essential precursor to the liberation of the occupied territory. 

He was addressing a large “Pakistan Zindabad” rally at Rehra in Bagh district, attended by a sizeable crowd despite heavy rainfall, to mark the anniversary of Marka-i-Haq (the Battle of Truth). 

The premier used the occasion to reiterate the state’s alignment with Pakistan while also highlighting what he described as his government’s developmental “crusade.” 

Reflecting on the events of May last year, Mr Rathore paid glowing tribute to the Pakistan Armed Forces. He said
India had attempted to destabilise the region through a “conspiracy built on a narrative of lies.” 

“Last May, the forces of falsehood were defeated by the forces of truth,” he told the cheering crowd. “In that critical hour, Pakistan created history by thwarting Indian designs, and today, Pakistan’s prestige stands higher than ever on the global diplomatic stage.” 

He added that the sacrifices of martyrs and their families would remain an indelible part of the state’s history. 

The visit was marked by an emotional milestone as the prime minister laid the foundation stone of the Chhatar Dhara Bridge, a project originally announced by his late father, former prime minister Mumtaz Hussain Rathore, in 1990. 

For 36 years, the project remained in limbo, becoming a symbol of administrative stagnation. By initiating its construction, Mr Rathore sought to signal a departure from what he called the “broken promises” of the past. He also promised the inclusion of the Seri and Swanaj bridges in the upcoming Annual Development Programme (ADP). 

Responding to critics, the AJK premier said that while the first seven months of any government were typically a “honeymoon period,” his administration had spent that time “restoring public faith in a broken system.” 

“When we took the reins, the public had lost all confidence in the state machinery,” he claimed. “We have spent our energy regularising ad-hoc employees, streamlining selection boards, and ensuring that development funds actually reach the ground.” 

He framed his political struggle not as a quest for power but as a “war against poverty and deprivation,” vowing that if given a full two-year window, his government would utilise state resources to ensure that the dividends of development reached the common man. 

“We are not going anywhere; we are coming back with a mission to serve,” he added. 

The event also turned into a display of political unity, as it was addressed by former prime minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas, former minister Sardar Qamar-uz-Zaman, his son and minister for communications Sardar Zia-ul-Qamar, adviser Ahmed Saghir and several others.

Earlier, during a vehicular rally from Bagh to Rehra, slogans in favour of the armed forces and the state’s accession to Pakistan dominated the atmosphere. The prime minister noted that the warm reception he received — including being showered with petals in large quantities during a recent visit to Samahni — was a mandate for his “mission of service” stretching from Taobat to Bhimber.

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Federal, AJK ministers urge JAAC to shun June 9 strike, pursue talks after “positive meeting”

JAAC rejects govt claims on accord implementation, reiterates June 9 strike call if demands not met by May 31

The federal and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) governments on Monday urged the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) to avoid its planned June 9 strike and continue resolving issues through dialogue, after what officials described as “cordial” and “positive” talks with the group’s representatives in Muzaffarabad.

However, JAAC leaders accused the government of repeatedly reneging on agreements with the forum and warned that the territory-wide protest, shutter-down and wheel-jam strike on June 9 would be observed as per schedule if its demands were not met by May 31. 

The three-hour-long meeting between the two sides, held at the Civil Secretariat here, was attended by Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Engr Amir Muqam, Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, AJK Finance Minister Chaudhry Qasim Majeed, AJK Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education Deewan Ali Chughtai, and the JAAC core members, Shaukat Nawaz Mir, Umar Nazir Kashmiri and Imtiaz Aslam.

Addressing a joint press conference afterwards along with the two AJK ministers, Mr Muqam said six meetings had so far been held between representatives of the federal government, the AJK government and the JAAC to oversee implementation of a 37-point agreement reached last year after violent protests over inflation, electricity tariffs and wheat subsidy issues.

“Such swift implementation has no precedent in our political history,” he claimed, while praising the AJK government for their “day-and-night efforts” to fulfil the accord. He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had also issued special directives regarding resolution of AJK’s problems and provision of resources to the region.

Mr Muqam said most of the agreed points had either already been implemented or were in the process of execution, including withdrawal of 177 FIRs against protesters, compensation for those killed or injured during last year’s unrest, reduction in ministers and government departments, approval of the Accountability Act, and progress on wheat subsidy and tax-related issues. 

He said some matters required legal and procedural completion, but work on all points was progressing rapidly. 

Referring to the JAAC’s opposition to the 12 legislative assembly seats reserved for the Pakistan based refugees from Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Mr Muqam said the issue had been referred to a special committee comprising representatives of the federal government, the AJK government and the JAAC. 

He said the committee was scheduled to meet on May 14 and urged the JAAC to attend the session and present its constitutional and political viewpoint. “We should move forward with mutual understanding and consultation,” he said. 

Mr Muqam also linked continuation of dialogue to the prevailing regional situation, saying Pakistan had recently gained international attention because of the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir. 

“At this time, the whole country is celebrating the ‘Battle for Truth’ and Pakistan is emerging as a centre for peace in the world,” he said, adding that protests or strikes under the current circumstances would not send a positive message nationally or internationally.

“The public, AJK and Pakistan will gain nothing from strikes,” he said. “Issues should instead be resolved through negotiations.” 

Responding to a question, the minister rejected the impression that the government had failed to receive positive signals from the JAAC regarding withdrawal of the strike call. “We also thanked them. We all belong to this region and hope matters will not reach that stage,” he said. 

Finance Minister Qasim Majeed said discussions on all 37 demands had taken place in a cordial atmosphere and claimed progress had been made on several issues, including reduction in property tax, legislation regarding the education board, appointment of a chief executive officer for the Universal Service Fund, and measures for Mangla dam affectees.

He also said the health card scheme had formally been launched and funds would soon be released to the State Life Insurance Corporation to operationalise it.

 “If the remaining issues are resolved by June 9, that day may even be observed as a day of thanksgiving,” he remarked. 

Mr Majeed said the constitutional committee on the refugees’ seats would submit its recommendations to the implementation committee after its May 14 meeting. He confirmed that the JAAC representatives had assured the government they would attend the session after boycotting the previous meeting.

Mr Chughtai echoed their views and urged JAAC to participate in the special committee meeting on refugees’ seats, saying the prevailing regional and international circumstances demanded “wisdom” and stability.

“At such a time, this region cannot afford unrest,” he said.

However, shortly after the government’s press conference, JAAC leaders, Shaukat Nawaz Mir, Umar Nazir Kashmiri and Amjad Ali Khan, rejected official claims of substantial progress and insisted their June 9 strike call remained intact.

At a separate press conference, they accused the government of repeatedly reneging on agreements and resorting to delaying tactics.

“The public demands are still pending while the government remains limited to announcements and promises,” they said, adding that inflation, unemployment and the electricity crisis had made life increasingly difficult for ordinary citizens.

“Not a single issue agreed upon in the January meeting with ministers has seen any progress,” alleged Mr Kashmiri, claiming officials continued using vague assurances without specifying implementation deadlines.

“We have clearly told them today that our June 9 call stands,” he said, adding that the JAAC would withdraw from talks after May 31 if electoral reforms and other demands in its charter were not implemented.

Mr Mir alleged that despite assurances, no payments had been made to the insurance company for the health card scheme since January.

“How can treatment continue under the health card scheme if the insurance company is not being paid?” he asked.

He also questioned government claims regarding scheduled status for the Bank of AJK and alleged that Rs10 billion allocated for improvement of the electricity network had not even reached the PC-1 stage since October last year.

Referring to the proposed Kahori and Noora Seri tunnels on the Neelum Valley road, he alleged that despite donor funding, authorities were now terming the area a seismic zone to avoid executing the projects.

Mr Khan reiterated the committee’s stance that abolition of the 12 refugee seats would not adversely affect the Kashmir freedom movement because, under the AJK Constitution, neither the AJK government nor the legislative assembly had any direct role in it.

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AJK PM lays foundation stone of Rs1bn grid station project in Samahni

Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Raja Faisal Mumtaz Rathore on Sunday laid the foundation stone of a 132/11 KV grid station in Samahni at a cost of Rs1 billion, in response to a longstanding demand of the local population.

During the visit to the area, he also inaugurated a Rs680 million road project and welcomed two PML-N leaders into the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

Samahni, an administrative unit of the southern Bhimber district along the Line of Control, had come into international focus in February 2019 when Pakistan Air Force shot down an Indian aircraft in the area and captured its pilot, Abhinandan Varthaman. 

Mr Rathore was accompanied during the visit by PPP AJK president Chaudhry Muhammad Yasin, former president Haji Mohammad Yaqoob Khan, former prime minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas, local lawmaker and Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Ali Shan Soni and some other cabinet members. 

Mr Soni had been elected to the AJK Legislative Assembly in 2021 on a PTI ticket but joined the PPP last year along with Mr Ilyas. 

At the foundation stone-laying ceremony, Chief Engineer Electricity (South) Mohammad Nazir Mughal briefed the prime minister on the project and said the grid station would have six feeders in Samahni, Choki, Jandala, Sona Bazaar, Bandala and Puna, besides a 24-kilometre double-circuit transmission line from Islamgarh to Samahni. 

He said the project, spread over 32 kanals of land, would benefit around 145,000 people by ensuring electricity supply at standard voltage levels. He added that residents of Samahni tehsil had long been receiving electricity at less than 90 volts, resulting in inadequate power supply. 

The prime minister also inaugurated the 8.2-kilometre Jandala-Peer Gali road project completed at a cost of Rs680 million. Chief Engineer Mahmood Mumtaz Rathore, who is the premier’s elder brother, briefed him on the scheme. 

PM Rathore directed officials concerned to ensure quality, speedy execution and timely completion of development projects.

Later, addressing a public reception at Tander, the prime minister welcomed former PML-N leaders Major (retd) Khizarur Rehman and Raja Mohammad Ayub into the PPP after they announced joining the party along with their supporters. 

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Rathore said the PPP was “a party of martyrs” that provided opportunities to ordinary workers to rise to key political positions. 

Those who left the PPP faced political decline and eventual irrelevance, he said.

Listing what he described as the “achievements” of his short tenure, Mr Rathore claimed his government had restored public confidence by resolving issues through democratic institutions rather than street protests.

He maintained that while other parties had yet to properly launch their election campaigns, the PPP was already approaching the concluding phase of its campaign due to its performance. 

“Though I am not an astrologer, prevailing conditions in the state indicate that the PPP will once again form the government with a heavy mandate,” he said.

He also pledged that funds would be allocated before the announcement of the election schedule to address the problems and “deprivations” of the Samahni constituency. 

Mr Yasin and other party leaders also addressed the gathering.

Later, the prime minister also administered the oath to the office bearers of the Tehsil Bar Association in Samahni. He announced a donation of Rs 1.7 million for the bar library.

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Four killed, two injured as jeep plunges into Neelum Valley ravine

Prime Minister Faisal Rathore orders inquiry, urges travellers to pay attention to their safety

A tragic road accident in Neelum Valley claimed the lives of four people—including two women—and left two others injured on Sunday afternoon after a passenger jeep plunged hundreds of feet into a rocky streambed.

According to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), the public transport vehicle was traveling from Goriyal to Batgran village. At approximately 4pm, just two kilometers into its journey, the vehicle veered off the treacherous Jagran road and tumbled over 300 feet before landing amidst large boulders in the raging Jagran stream.

The vehicle was completely wrecked after hitting the streambed strewn with large boulders, as shown in photographs from the scene.

Upon receiving the report, rescue teams from the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) Neelum and Rescue 1122 rushed to the remote site. Following a difficult recovery operation in the rugged terrain, the injured were provided first aid and shifted via ambulance to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital.

Officials confirmed that two men and two women died instantly. The driver and a 14-year-old boy survived the fall but sustained significant injuries.

The deceased were identified as Munir, 20, son of Bashirullah, Parveen, 35, wife of Lal Hussain, Nazir Ahmed, 65, son of Ali Ahmed, and Shareena Bibi, 35, wife of Attique – all residents of Batgran village.

The injured were identified as Kamran, 40, son of Gulzaman, the driver of the ill-fated jeep, and Naqash, 14, son of Lal Hussain. 

Director General SDMA, Saeedur Rehman Qureshi, expressed deep grief over the tragedy. While an official investigation was underway, Mr Qureshi noted that reckless driving and the use of dilapidated vehicles were the primary catalysts for such accidents in the highlands.

“Unfortunately, speeding and the operation of unfit vehicles often result in devastating human losses, shattering entire families,” he said, urging the relevant departments to strictly enforce vehicle fitness standards. He also appealed to motorists to exercise extreme caution, particularly in hilly areas.

 AJK Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore also expressed his condolences to the bereaved families. 

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the Prime Minister said he had directed hospital authorities to provide the highest quality medical care to the survivors.

“We cannot let this continue,” the Prime Minister stated. “I’ve ordered a full investigation and tasked authorities with developing a rigorous regime to prevent such tragedies—starting with the long-overlooked fitness of public transport vehicles that have outlived their road life.”

He also issued a call to action for the citizenry: “While the government must enforce safety, I urge the public to play your part. You are your own first line of defense. Before boarding, ensure the vehicle appears fit and the driver is responsible. Let’s prioritize safety together.”

Tariq Naqash