Azad Kashmir

Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK)

azaad jammu o- kashmir
—  Administrative Unit  —

Flag

Location of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK)

Coordinates: Coordinates:

Country  Pakistan
Established 1948
Capital Muzaffarabad
Largest city Mirpur
Government
Self-governing state under Pakistani
 - Type
control[1]
 - Body Legislative Assembly
 - President Raja Zulqarnain Khan
 - Prime Ministe
Raja Farooq Haider Khan
r
Area
 - Total 13,297 km2 (5,134 sq mi)
Population (2008; est.)
  - Total 4,567,982
 - Density 343.5/km2 (889.8/sq mi)
Time zone PKT (UTC+5)
ISO 3166 code PK-JK
Urdu (official)
Pahari
Mirpuri
Main
Gojri
Language(s)
Hindko
Punjabi
Pashto
Assembly seats 49
Districts 10
Towns 19
Union Councils 182
Website ajk.gov.pk
Azad Jammu and Kashmir azaad jammu o- kashmir ; AJK) or Azad Kashmir for short
(literally, "Free Kashmir"), is the southernmost political entity within the Pakistani-administered
part of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. It borders the present-day Indian-
controlled state of Jammu and Kashmir to the east (separated from it by the Line of Control), the
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa of Pakistan to the west, the Federally Administered Northern Areas
(FANA) to the north, and the Punjab Province of Pakistan to the south. With its capital at
Muzaffarabad, Azad Kashmir covers an area of 13,297 square kilometres (5,134 sq mi) and has
an estimated population of about four million.
Contents
1 History
1.1 Azad Kashmir
Day
2 Government
3 Geography and climate
4 Ethnic groups
5 Languages
6 Economy and resources
7 Education
8 Notable Kashmiris
9 Gallery
10 See also
11 References
12 External links
History
 Map of the entire Kashmir region
After the Partition of India in 1947, the princely states were given the option of joining either
India or Pakistan. However, Hari Singh, the maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, wanted Jammu
and Kashmir to remain independent. In order to buy some time, he signed a stand-still
agreement, which sidestepped the agreement that each princely state would join either India or
Pakistan.[2] Later there was a revolution by Muslims in the western part of the kingdom[3] and the
raiders from North-West Frontier Province and the Tribal Areas feared that Hari Singh might
join the Indian Union. In October 1947, supported by the Pakistani Army, they attacked Kashmir
and tried to take over control of Kashmir. Initially Hari Singh tried to resist their progress but
failed. Hari Singh then requested the Indian Union to help. India responded that it could not help
unless Kashmir joined India. So on 26 October 1947, Kashmir accession papers were signed and
Indian troops were airlifted to Srinagar. Fighting ensued between the Indian Army and Pakistani
Army, with control stabilizing more or less around what is now the "Line of Control".[4]
Later, India approached the United Nations to solve the dispute and resolutions were passed to
hold a plebiscite with regard to Kashmir's future. However, this plebiscite has not been held on
either side, since the legal requirement for the holding of a plebiscite was the withdrawal of the
Indian and Pakistani armies from the parts of Kashmir that were under their respective control—
a withdrawal that never did take place.[5] 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 Federally Administered Northern Areas (FANA) - is 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 officially granted full autonomy on August 29, 2009.[6]
An area of Kashmir that was once under Pakistani control is the Shaksgam tract—a small region
along the northeastern border of the Northern Areas that was provisionally ceded by Pakistan to
the People's Republic of China in 1963 and which now forms part of China's Uygur Autonomous
Region of Xinjiang.
In 1972, the then-current border between Pakistani and Indian, which held areas of Kashmir, was
designated as the "Line of Control". The Line of Control has remained unchanged[7] 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.
Azad Kashmir Day
Azad Kashmir Day celebrates the 61st day of the Azad Jammu Kashmir government, created on
24th October 1947.[8]
Government

Districts of Azad Kashmir

Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) is a self-governing state under Pakistani control but is not
constitutionally part of Pakistan.[1][9] It has its own elected president, prime minister, legislature,
high court, and official flag. The government of Pakistan has not yet allowed the state to issue its
own postage stamps, however, and Pakistani stamps are used in the state instead. Azad Kashmir
has it own Judiciary as well with Khawaja Shahad Ahmad as its present Chief Justice.
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.[1][9]
The state is administratively divided into three divisions which, in turn, are divided into ten
districts.[10]
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
[11]
Muzaffarabad Muzaffarabad 2,496 638,973 Muzaffarabad
Hattian ? ? Hattian Bala
 Neelum[12] 3,621 106,778 Athmuqam
Poonch Poonch 855 411,035 Rawalakot[11]
Haveli 600 (est.) 150,000 (est.) Forward Kahuta[11]
Bagh 768 243,415 Bagh
Sudhnati 569 334,091 Pallandari
AJK Total 10 districts 13,297 2,972,501 Muzaffarabad
A 2008 report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees determined that Pakistan-
administered Kashmir was 'not free', while Indian Kashmir was.[13]
There are roughly 1.5 million refugees from Indian Administered Kashmir in Azad Kashmir and
Pakistan.
Geography and climate
This section requires expansion.
The northern part of Azad Jammu and Kashmir encompasses the lower area of the Himalayas,
including Jamgarh Peak (15,531 feet [4,734 metres]). However, Hari Parbat peak in 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 of the subcontinent.[1]
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.
Ethnic groups
Main article: 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 vast
majority of the people from Azad Jammu and Kashmir, despite that region being referred to as
part of Kashmir, do not speak Kashmiri or any of its dialects.
A large majority of Kashmiris have relatives who live in England. Mirpur in particular retains
strong links with the UK.[14]
Languages
Urdu is the official language of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.[15] However, due to the area's diverse
cultural blend, many languages are spoken by different populations, including Pahari-Potwari,
Kashmiri, Gojri, Punjabi and Pashto.[16][17]

Toli pir Rawalakot

 Economy and resources
This section requires expansion.
In the mid-1950s various economic and social development processes were launched in Azad
Kashmir.[18] 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
electricity the dam provided to the nation. During the mid-2000s a multi-billion dollar
reconstruction began in the aftermath of the 2005 Kashmir earthquake.[19]
Agriculture is a 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
more elevated areas that are less populated and are spread out, foresty, corn and livestock are the
source of living.
There are some mineral and marble resources in Azad Kashmir close to Mirpur and
Muzaffarabad; there are also some graphite deposits at Mohriwali. There are some reservoirs of
low-grade coal, chalk, bauxite, and zircon. Local household industries produce carved wooden
objects, textiles, and dhurrie carpets.[1] There is also an art and craft industry that produces such
cultural goods as: namdas, shawls, pashmina, pherans, papier mache, basketry copper, rugs,
wood carving, silk and woolen clothing, patto, carpet, 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.[1][9][20]
In addition to agriculture, textiles, 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; for household annual income, those people living in higher areas are more dependent on
remittance than lower areas.[21]
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 delay in
help reaching the most needy, and hundreds of people continued to live in tents long after the
earthquake.[19] A land-use plan for the city of Muzaffarabad was prepared by the Japan
International Cooperation Agency.
Remittance by British Pakistanis forms an important part of the Kashmiri economy.
Education
The literacy rate in Azad Kashmir was 62% in 2004, higher than in any other region in Pakistan.
[22]
However, only 2.2% were graduates, compared to the average of 2.9% for the whole of
Pakistan.[23]
Notable Kashmiris
 Sardar Mohammad Ibrahim Khan First President of Azad Kashmir.
 Sardar Mohammad Abdul Qayyum Khan, former PM and president of Azad Kashmir
 Mian Muhammad Bakhsh, Sufi saint
 Baba-e-Poonch Khansahib Col Khan Muhammad Khan, MLA for Tehsil Bagh and
Sudhonoti, 1934–1946
 Aziz Khan, former chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Pakistan
 Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan, former PM and president of Azad Kashmir
 Mohammad Sharif Chattar, educationist, botanist, author, poet
 Sardar Muhammad Anwar Khan, vice-chief of the General Staff
 Baba Shadi Shaheed, Sufi saint
 Tassadaq Hussain Khan, former army chief
 Barrister Sultan Mahmood, former prime minister of Azad Kashmir
 Lord Nazir Ahmed, member of the UK House of Lords
 Karam Hussain, mayor of Kirklees, UK
 Khalid Mahmood, member of the UK parliament
 Sardar Fateh Muhammad Khan Karelvi, Muslim MLA during Dogra rule
 Kabir Ali, British-Kashmiri cricket player
Gallery
This section looks like an image gallery. Wikipedia policy discourages galleries of random
images of the article subject; please edit or remove the section accordingly, moving freely
licensed images to Wikimedia Commons if not already hosted there. (January 2009)

Banjosa, Rawalakot
Sheru Dhara, Bagh Kotli Kotli District

Mangla Dam, adjacent toTypical houses in Banjosa rest house and

Toli Pir
Mirpur Mirpur lake

Rawalakot bazaar Bagh, city view

See also
Pakistan portal
 Kashmir conflict
 Kashmir
References
1. ^ a b c d e f "Azad Kashmir" at britannica.com
2. ^ "The J&K conflict: A Chronological Introduction". India Together.
http://www.indiatogether.org/peace/kashmir/intro.htm. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
3. ^ Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. "Kashmir (region, Indian subcontinent) - Britannica Online
Encyclopedia". Britannica.com. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/312908/Kashmir. Retrieved
2010-06-05.
4. ^ "South Asian Journal". http://www.southasianmedia.net/magazine/journal/grasping_nettle.htm.
5. ^ "UNCIP Resolution of August 13, 1948 (S/1100) - Embassy of India, Washington, DC".
http://www.indianembassy.org/policy/Kashmir/uncip(s1100).htm.
6. ^ Miller, David (2009-08-30). "Pakistan grants full autonomy to northern areas | Pakistan Daily".
Daily.pk. http://www.daily.pk/pakistan-grants-full-autonomy-to-northern-areas-9753/. Retrieved 2010-
06-05.
7. ^ "UNMOGIP: United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan".
http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unmogip/.
8. ^
9. ^ a b c [1][dead link]
10. ^ "Administrative Setup.". ajk.gov.pk. http://www.ajk.gov.pk/index.php?
option=com_content&view=article&id=24&Itemid=8. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
11. ^ a b c http://www.eurojournals.com/ejsr%2017%203.pdf#page=89
12. ^ Official website, Government of Azad Kashmir. ""Facts and Figures"". Archived from the
original on 2008-01-07.
http://web.archive.org/web/20080107092119/http://www.ajk.gov.pk/site/index.php?
option=com_content&task=view&id=2256&Itemid=144. Retrieved 2006-04-19.
13. ^ "Freedom in the World 2008 - Kashmir (Pakistan)". United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees. 2008-07-02. http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/topic,463af2212,469f2dcf2,487ca21a2a,0.html.
14. ^ Moss, Paul (2006-11-30). "South Asia | The limits to integration". BBC News.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6178092.stm. Retrieved 2010-06-05.
15. ^ "Urdu declared official language of Azad Kashmir.". Pakistan Times. 21 August 2005.
http://pakistantimes.net/2005/08/21/kashmir1.htm. Retrieved 31 January 2010.
16. ^ "About Kashmir.". Prime Minister of AJ&K. http://www.pmajk.gov.pk/history.asp. Retrieved
January 31, 2010.
17. ^ Manzoor Ali Shah. "26 languages spoken in NWFP, northern areas: Many face threat of
extinction." Daily Times. February 22, 2010.
18. ^ "History of Planning & Development Department in AJK".
http://www.pndajk.gov.pk/history.asp.
19. ^ a b "Rs1.25 trillion to be spent in Azad Kashmir: Reconstruction in quake-hit zone - Dawn
Pakistan". http://www.dawn.com/2006/10/01/nat9.htm.
20. ^ [2][dead link]
21. ^ "Microsoft Word - BG_RemittancesPakistan.doc" (PDF).
http://www.sdpi.org/whats_new/recent_publications/BGPaper_Remittances_Pakistan.pdf. Retrieved
2010-06-05.
22. ^ "Literacy Rate in Azad Kashmir nearly 62 pc".
http://pakistantimes.net/2004/09/27/kashmir5.htm.
23. ^ - 7th Paragraph.
External links
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Images and media from Commons
News stories from Wikinews
 Learning resources from Wikiversity
 Government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir
 Azad Jammu and Kashmir travel guide from Wikitravel
 "Azad Kashmir" article at Encyclopædia Britannica
 Azad Jammu Kashmir Tourism site