Article: Kashmir

Information about Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Coordinates: 34.22°N 73.28°ECoordinates: 34.22°N 73.28°E
Established	1948
Capital	Muzaffarabad
Largest city	Mirpur
Government
• Type	Self-governing state under Pakistani federation
• Body	Legislative assembly
• President	Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan
• Prime Minister	Chaudhry Abdul Majid
Area
• Total	13,297 km2 (5,134 sq mi)
Population (2008; est.)
• Total	4,567,982
• Density	340/km2 (890/sq mi)
Time zone	PKT (UTC+5)
ISO 3166 code	PK-JK
Main Language(s)	·         Urdu (official) ·         Pahari ·         Mirpuri ·         Gojri ·         Hindko ·         Punjabi ·         Pashto
Assembly seats	49
Districts	10
Towns	19
Union Councils	182
Website	www.ajk.gov.pk

Azad Jammu and Kashmir Azad Jammu o Kashmir, abbreviated AJK) or, for short, Azad Kashmir (literally "Free Kashmir") is the southernmost political entity within the Pakistani-controlled part of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. It borders Indian-Administered Jammu and Kashmir to the east (separated from it by the Line of Control), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to the west, Gilgit-Baltistan to the north, and the Punjab province to the south. With its capital at Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir covers an area of 13,297 square kilometres (5,134 sq mi) and has an estimated population of about four million.

Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan together constitute the region referred to as "Pakistani-controlled Kashmir" by the United Nations and other international organisations and as "Pakistan-occupied Kashmir" in India, in contrast to the name "Indian-occupied Kashmir", which is given by Pakistan to the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The territories have been under the control of the two countries since theFirst Kashmir war, after which the area of Azad Jammu and Kashmir was successfully captured from the princely state by rebelling militias with the help of the Pakistani Army.

History

: History of Azad Kashmir

Further information: History of Kashmir

At the time of the Partition of India in 1947, the British abandoned their suzerainty over the princely states, which were left with the options of joining India or Pakistan or remaining independent. Hari Singh, themaharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, wanted his state to remain independent. In order to buy some time, he signed a stand-still agreement, which sidestepped the encouragement of the princely states to join either India or Pakistan. Later, there was a revolution by Muslims in the western part of the state, as raiders from what was then the North-West Frontier Provinceand the tribal areas feared that Hari Singh might accede to the Union of India. In October 1947, they attacked Kashmir in an attempt to take control of the princely state. Initially, Hari Singh tried to resist their progress but failed. He then requested the military help of India, which responded that it would not help him unless he acceded to India. On October 26, 1947, Hari Singh signed an Instrument of Accession, and Indian troops were immediately airlifted into Srinagar. Pakistan intervened subsequently. Fighting ensued between the Indian and Pakistani armies, with the two areas of control stabilized, more or less, around what is now known as the "Line of Control".

Later, India approached the United Nations, asking it to solve 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 which required the withdrawal of the Pakistani Army along with the non-state elements and the subsequent partial withdrawal of the Indian Army. from the parts of Kashmir under their respective control – a withdrawal that never took place.^] In 1949, a cease-fire line separating the Indian- and Pakistani-controlled parts of Kashmir was formally put into effect.

Following the 1949 cease-fire agreement, the government of Pakistan divided the northern and western parts of Kashmir which it held into the following two separately-controlled political entities:

1.    Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) – the narrow, southern part, 250 miles (400 km) long, with a width varying from 10 to 40 miles (16 to 64 km).

2.    Gilgit–Baltistan formerly called the Federally Administered Northern Areas (FANA) – the much larger area to the north of AJK, 72,496 square kilometres (27,991 sq mi). It was directly administered by Pakistan as a de facto dependent territory, i.e., a non-self-governing territory. However, it was ostensibly granted "full autonomy" on August 29, 2009.

An area of Kashmir that was once under Pakistani control is the Shaksgam tract, a small region along the northeastern border of Gilgit-Baltistan that was provisionally ceded by Pakistan to the People's Republic of China in 1963 and which now forms part of China'sXinjiang 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". The Line of Control has remained unchanged 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 Nations.

A devastating earthquake hit Azad Kashmir in 2005.

Kashmir related holidays

Azad Kashmir Day is celebrated in Azad Jammu and Kashmir on October 24, which is the day that the Azad Jammu and Kashmir government was created in 1947. Pakistan has celebrated Kashmir Solidarity Day on February 5 of each year since 1990 as a day of protest against India's control of the major part of Jammu and Kashmir. That day is a national holiday in Pakistan.

Government

Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) is a self-governing state under Pakistani control, but under Pakistan's constitution the state is not actually part of Pakistan. Azad Kashmir has its own elected president, prime minister, legislature, high court, and official flag. The state has it own judiciary, as well, with Khawaja Shahad Ahmad as its present chief justice. The government of Pakistan has not yet allowed Azad Kashmir to issue its own postage stamps. Stamps of Pakistan are used, instead.

Azad Kashmir's financial matters, i.e., 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 11 members, six from the government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and five from the government of Pakistan. Its chairman/chief executive is the president of Pakistan. Other members of the council are the president and the prime minister of Azad Kashmir and a few other AJK ministers.

Administrative divisions

The state is administratively divided into three divisions which, in turn, are divided into ten districts.

Division	District	Area (km²)	Population (1998)	Headquarters
Mirpur	Bhimber	1,516	301,633	Bhimber
	Kotli	1,862	563,094	Kotli
	Mirpur	1,010	333,482	Mirpur
Muzaffarabad	Muzaffarabad	2,496	638,973	Muzaffarabad
	Hattian	?	?	Hattian Bala
	Neelam	3,621	106,778	Athmuqam
Poonch	Poonch	855	411,035	Rawalakot
	Haveli	600 (est.)	150,000 (est.)	Forward Kahuta
	Bagh	768	243,415	Bagh
	Sudhnati	569	334,091	Pallandari
AJK Total	10 districts	13,297	2,972,501	Muzaffarabad

Geography and climate

The northern part of Azad Jammu and Kashmir encompasses the lower part of the Himalayas, including Jamgarh Peak (15,531 feet [4,734 meters]). However, Hari Parbat peak in the Neelum Valley is the highest peak in the state. Fertile, green, mountainous valleys are characteristic of Azad Kashmir's geography, making it one of the most beautiful regions on the subcontinent.The region receives rainfall in both winter and summer. 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 the summer season, monsoon floods of the Jhelum and Leepa rivers are common, due to high rainfall and melting snow.

Tourist attractions

Azad Kashmir is the one of the most beautiful regions in the world. It's sometimes referred to as "Heaven on Earth" for its scenic beauty. Some well-known and popular tourist destinations are the following.

·         Muzaffarabad, the capital city of Azad Kashmir, is located on the banks of the Jhelum and Neelum rivers. It is 138 kilometres (86 mi) from Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Well-known tourist spots near Muzaffarabad are the Red Fort, Pir Chinassi, Patika, andSubri Lake.

·         The Neelam Valley is situated to the north and northeast of Muzaffarabad, The gateway to the valley. The main tourist attractions in the valley are Athmuqam, Kutton, Keran, Kel, Sharda and Taobat.

·         Rawalakot city is the headquarters of Poonch District and is located 122 kilometres (76 mi) from Islamabad. Tourist attractions in Poonch District are Banjosa Lake, Devi Gali, Tatta Pani, and Toli Pir.

·         Bagh city, the headquarters of Bagh District, is 205 kilometres (127 mi) from Islamabad and 100 kilometres (62 mi) from Muzaffarabad. The principal tourist attractions in Bagh District are Dhirkot, Sudhan Gali, Neela Butt, and Las Danna.

·         The Leepa Valley is located 105 kilometres (65 mi) southeast of Muzaffarabad. It is the most charming and scenic place for tourists in Azad Kashmir.

·         Mirpur city is the headquarters of Mirpur District. The main tourist attractions near Mirpur city are the Mangla Lake and Ramkot Fort.

Culture

: Culture of Kashmir

The culture of Azad Kashmir has many similarities to that of northern Punjabi (Potohar) culture in Punjab province. The natives of Azad Kashmir speak Urdu, Potwari, and the Paharilanguages. The traditional dress of Kashmiri women is the shalwar kameez in Pahari style. The shalwar kameez is commonly worn by both men and women. Women use the Shawl orKashmir shawl to cover their head and upper body.

The popular and traditional cuisines of Azad Kashmir are Kashmiri Raan (Fried leg of lamb in Kashmiri style), Rogan Josh, Balti Gosht, Kashmiri Dal Chawal (A mixture of split peas, split red lentils, and boiled rice), and Dam Aloo (Fried Potatoes in Kashmiri style).

The traditional drink of Kashmir is Kashmiri tea. Kashmiris are very fond of drinking tea.

Ethnic groups

: Ethnic groups of Azad Kashmir

Azad Jammu and Kashmir is predominantly Muslim. The majority of the population is culturally, linguistically, and ethnically related to the people of northern Punjab. The article,Ethnic groups of Azad Kashmir gives a breakdown of all the major tribes in the state. The principal languages spoken are Pahari, Gojri, Dogri, Potohari, Urdu, Kashmiri, Pashto, andPunjabi.

A large number of residents of this area have relatives who live in England. Mirpur, in particular, retains strong links with the UK.

Languages

Urdu is the official language of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. However, due to the area's diverse cultural blend, many languages are spoken by different populations, including Pahari-Potwari, Hindko, Gojri, Punjabi and Pashto.

Economy and resources

: Economy of Azad Kashmir

This section requires expansion. (June 2008)

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 multi-billion dollar reconstruction began in the aftermath of the 2005 Kashmir earthquake.

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. 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.

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.

In the latter part of 2006, billions of dollars for development were mooted by 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 most needy. Hundreds of people continued to live in tents long after the earthquake. A land-use plan for the city of Muzaffarabad was prepared by the Japan international cooperation agency.

Remittances by British Pakistanis form an important part of the Kashmiri economy.

Education

The literacy rate in Azad Kashmir was 62% in 2004, higher than in any region in Pakistan. However, only 2.2% were graduates, compared to the average of 2.9% for Pakistan.