Districts of Azad Jummu Kashmir

.Muzaffarabad

.Neelum

.Sudhnutti

.Bhimber

.Poonch

.Mirpur

.Bagh

.Kotli

.Haveli

.Hattian

جب نیند سے آنکھیں بوجھل ہوں
اور اپنے آنکھ سے اوجھل ہوں
پھر نیند بھلا کب آتی ہے
جب دل میں بسنے والے بھی
اور ساتھ میں ہنسنے والے بھی
دور کہیں وہ بستے ہوں
کسی اور کے ساتھ وہ ہنستے ہوں
پھر نیند بھلا کب آتی ہے
جب غم کی رات اندھیری ہو
اور اس میں یاد بھی تیری ہو
... نہ دل میں کوئی اجالا ہو
پھر نیند بھلا کب آتی ہے

پھر نیند بھلا کب آتی ہے۔۔۔
ZAKIR SIDDIQUI
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The beauty of villages in azad kashmir

Chikar

The hill station of Chikar, 27 miles from Muzaffarabad has grown into a fairly large township. Three miles from Chikar is the hill station known as Loonbagla which is situated in the middle of a vast range of densely grown forests. The outstanding features of this hill station are its healthy climate and picturesque surroundings. Chikar is linked with Muzaffarabad by a motor able road and is connected with Bagh in Poonch district via Sudhan Gali.

Neela Butt

From Dhirkot 6 kilometers ahead, this spot is situated at an altitude of 2000 meters from sea level. It is worth seeing from the tourist point of view as well as its historical background. On 23rd August 1947 the Mujahideen-e-Azadi got united at this place, aiming to get independence from India. Considering its tourist importance the Azad Jammu Kashmir Government has constructed more than half dozen huts for the visitors.

Dhirkote
This fascinating and charming place of Distric Bagh is 24 kilometeres from Kohala, the gateway of Azad Kashmir, and 132 kilometers from Islamabad, the Capital of Pakistan. Located at an altitude of 1676 meters, Dhirkote possesses an extremely pleasant and healthy climate. The places is very popular among the people as a tourist resort mainly due to easy accass, suitable altitude and beautiful landscape.
In the heart of the calm and quiet Deodar and Kail mixed forest, there is a posh Forest Rest House, three tourist huts and one log hut which are greatly sought after by tourists in summer.
Dhirkot is linked with Kohala by a black-top road. Direct transport services are available from Rawalpindi(Pak) and Muazaffarabad(AJK). There is a bazaar on top of the hill which provides essential commodities. Education, medical, banking, telephone, telegraph and Internet facilities are also available here.
Dhirkot is best approached from Rawalpindi via Murree and the nearby Kohala Bridge over the Jhelum, the gateway to Azad Kashmir. It is small township situated at 6,000 feet above sea level and has a bracing climate. It is famous for its healthy surroundings, high altitude landscape. The town also is famous for the beauty spots. Almost all the area is covered with green trees like deodar, pine and oak. the Dak Bungalow - rest house - which is situated amidst the dense forest is 5,500 feet above the sea level. the Dhirkot is also famous for the fruits mainly apples and apricots.

Muzaffarabad
Situated at the confluence of the Jhelum and the Neelum rivers Muzaffarabad the capital of the State of Azad Jammu and Kashmir is at a distance of 86 miles from Rawalpindi a

nd 49 miles from Abbottabad. Surrounded by mountains, it looks like a walled town. It is the administrative capital of Azad Kashmir. Behind the Secretariat to the east is a road climbing above the town from where one can walk up to Pir Chinasi at 2,900 meters with good views of the Jhelum Valley and the higher mountains above the Neelum to the north. From the cool on the Abbottabad Road, you can walk along the ridge looking over the Jhelum and Kunhar rivers. Past the Red fort, crossing Neelum river at Ghori, a few km way is 'Makra mountain' 3,890 meters which is visible from Muzaffarabad and continues on to Shogran in the Kaghan Valley. This is a superb short trek, although you need to camp overnight halfway. The upper Jhelum valley makes another interesting scenic excursion from Muzaffarabad. follow the Jhelum upstream, taking the road beneath the Domel bridge. This was the old route to Srinagar. The valley is broad with raised terraces above the river. Rice and maize are widely grown. Some 10 kms out of Muzaffarabad the river widens to from a small lake. This was created by a landslip some years ago. There is a small Angler's Hut here, which makes a pleasant picnic spot. It is possible to take boats out on the river. Book through the Tourist Department in Muzaffarabad. The city was founded by Sultan Muzaffar Khan of Bamba dynasty and was the seat of an independent State for quite a long period under his successors. The city is now a combination of old and new buildings and a blend of different cultures and languages. It has besides official buildings, farms, parks and the historic forts standing on the banks of the Neelum, Muzaffarabad, Mirpur, Rawlakot and Kotli are connected with Pakistan by the Micro-weave system of telephone. There are rest houses, good hotels and guest houses in Muzaffarabad city where the tourists can stay. The rather sleazy bazaar in Muzaffarabad can be explored for its walnut carvings and its Kashmiri shawls. It is sometimes possible to get a good bargain.

Muzaffarabad Fort
Border skirmishes between the armies of renowned Mughal Akbar and the Chak rulers of Kashmir were common. To ensure safety of the people, and the land, the Chaks realized to raise defense posts and efficiently counter the offensives. During the year 1949 the construction of the red fort was undertaken. It was finally completed by Sultan Muzaffar Khan the founder of Muzaffarabad city during 1646. When the Mughals overtook the Kashmir rule, this fort lost its importance. The Mughals were more interested in Kabul, Bokhara and Badakshan. During the Durrani rule the fort again came into limelight and its importance was rediscovered. Maharaja Gulab Sign and Ranbir Singh, the Dogra rulers, reconstructed and extended the fort for political and military operations. Towards the end of 1947 the Dogra forces filed awa

y leaving the fort wide open to anybody. The architectonics of the fort show that great experts in design and structure participated in its construction. It is surrounded on three sides by Neelum river formally known as Kishan Ganga. the northern part had terraces with steps leading to the bank of the river. The Eastern side of the fort was very well protected from the hazards of flood waters but some parts in the north were slightly damaged. There was an inn at the entry of the fort which has to traces left now. It has been in the bad shape for quite some time and wears deserted look. The structure still stands with all its inherent glory, grandeur and its historical background.

Bagh
Bagh, the Tehsil Headquarters of Distt. Poonch, is situate at the confluence of two mini rivers - Malwani and Mall which flow all the year round. Bagh city comprises at least 5,000 shops and has a hospital. the total population of the Tehsil Headquarters is over 3 lacs. Two rest houses are available for tourists. Permission for stay can be obtained from the nearby Forest Department, P.W.D. There are two degree colleges, one is for boys and the other for girls. 'Haji Pir Pass' is 20 miles from Bagh city which is linked with metalled road.

Banjosa

Banjosa is Situated 20 kilometers from Rawalakot, at an altitude of 1981 meters. Its scenic beauty and impressive surrounding is compelling and attracts tourists to reach here to enjoy the nature for a possible comeback. Amidst the captivating beauty of Banjosa the artificial lake reflects the dense forest standing along the surrounding of the resting calm waters of Banjosa lake.

Physically scythe-shaped, the territory of Azad Kashmir is dotted with a vast chain of scenic and natural beauty spots amidst flowing streams, gushing out springs and flowering plants. The mountain tops over the valley look like circular and rectangular caps. The panorama is really enchanting. The valley rivals those of Kaghan and Swat in beauty and boasts of remarkable alpine scenery. It is bounded to the east by the line of control or (ceasefire line) with Indian held Kashmir and travel to foreigners is rather restricted. Azad Kashmir extends from the plains of Mirpur at the northern edge of the Punjab through the outlying foothills of the Himalayas, to the mountains in the north at 6,000 meters above sea level. It is drained by three major rivers, the Jhelum, the Neelam and the Poonch whose valleys are very beautiful. There are four districts of Azad Kashmir namely Muzaffarabad, Poonch, Kotli and Mirpur. These districts abound in natural beauty and rivers and streams flow throughout Azad Kashmir. All the four districts have lush green forests which provide cool breeze and foliage to the visitors. Roads are the only means of transport in Azad Kashmir and play a basic role in the development of the territory. The area of Azad Kashmir is 5134 square miles land strip in the shape of a crescent moon, 250 mile in length with width varying from 10 to 40 miles. The terrain is mostly rugged and mountainous with 15,000 feet high mountains in north-west touching the Punjab plains. The area is criss-crossed with rivers and numerous nullahs. The total length of roads in Azad Kashmir is 730 miles of metalled and 530 miles of fair-weather roads in addition to 830 miles of link roads
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History and Life in Kashmir

Azad and Jammu Kashmir Kashmir is an area on the northern borders of India and Pakistan; officially known as Jammu & Kashmir. Kashmir is famous for its natural beauty and has often been referred to as the 'Switzerland of the East'. The heart of the area is the fertile Vale of Kashmir (known as The Valley), which lies between the Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range. Here the climate is mild and the soil well watered. Kashmir covers an area of 222,237 SqKm (85,800 SqMi). Mount Godwin Austen/K2 (8,611m/28,250 ft) and mount Nanga Parbat (8,123m/26,650 ft) lie in Northern Kashmir.

The Indus river flows through Kashmir. The river Jhelum flows through the Vale of Kashmir. The mountains have much precious forests. About 12 million people live in Kashmir, of which around 70% are Muslims. The rest include Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists. Hindus live mostly in the south and around the city of Jammu. To the east is the Ladakh region, where the majority of the people are Buddhists and of Tibetan origin. Most of the Kashmiri people work on farms. Others are engaged in small industries making shawls, rugs and carpets. Kashmir is well known for its wool and, in particular, its shawls and carpets. Much of the farmland is under intense cultivation, producing corn, wheat, rice and saffron amongst other crops. Fruit and nuts are also produced in quantities including pears, apples and walnuts.

Kashmir has been the key to the dispute between India and Pakistan since their independence from the British in 1947. Each country claims Kashmir as a part of its territory. As a result of a rebellion in 1947 and the subsequent wars between India and Pakistan over Kashmir, the area is separated by a Line-of-Control (LOC or cease-fire line). To the east of the LOC lies the vale of Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh which are administered by India. To the west lies the area now known as 'Azad [Free] Kashmir' which is governed by its own government with strong ties with Pakistan.

The capitals of Indian-held Kashmir are Srinagar in the summer and Jammu in the winter; whilst the capital of Azad Kashmir is Muzaffarabad. Since 1989 the controversy over Kashmir has taken a violent turn in the valley; the Kashmiri people themselves have taken up arms against the Indian occupation. India is now deploying more than 700,000 troops in the valley to crush the Freedom Movement.

Background of Kashmir

Tradition has it that Kashmir was originally a lake that was drained by Kashyap and then inhabited by the Brahmins. Buddhism was introduced by the missionaries of Ashoka and flourished under the rule of Kushan in 2nd Century AD. However, Hinduism continued to be the dominant religion. In the 7th Century AD, the Karkota dynasty was founded by Durlabhavarrdhana. In 855 AD the Utpalas replaced the Karkotas. Later, the Tantrins, Yaskaras and Parva Gupta ruled in succession. Didda, a Gupta widowed queen, ruled Kashmir until 1003 AD when the Lohara dynasty took over. In 1346 AD the last Hindu king, Udiana Deva, was replaced by Shams-ud-Din. His family ruled until 1586 when the Moghul emperor Akbar conquered and annexed Kashmir to his vast empire.

In 1757 it was conquered by Ahmed Shah Durrani and became part of Afghanistan. In 1819 Ranjit Singh conquered Kashmir and made it part of his Sikh empire. In 1846, when the British defeated the Sikhs and annexed Punjab, they sold Kashmir to Ghulab Singh of Jammu for Rs. 7.5 million under the Treaty of Amritsar. Ghulab Singh, who entitled himself the Mahrajah, signed a separate treaty with the British which, in effect, gave him the status of an independent princely ruler of Kashmir. He added to his dominion by conquering Ladakh. Ghulab Singh died in 1857 and was replaced by Rambir Singh (1857-1885). Two other Marajahs, Partab Singh (1885-1925) and Hari Singh (1925-1949) ruled in succession.

Ghulab Singh and his successors ruled Kashmir in a tyrannical and repressive way. The people of Kashmir, nearly 80% of whom were Muslims, rose against Mahraja Hari Singh's rule. He ruthlessly crushed a mass uprising in 1931. In 1932 Sheik Abdullah formed Kashmir's first political party - All Jammu & Kashmir Muslim Conference (renamed to National Conference in 1939). In 1934 the Maharajah gave way and allowed limited democracy in the form of a Legislative Assembly. However, unease with the Maharaja's rule continued. According to the instruments of partition of India in 1947, the rulers of princely states were given the choice to freely accede to either India or Pakistan, or to remain independent. They were, however, advised to accede to the contiguous dominion, taking into consideration the geographical and ethnic issues. In Kashmir, however, the Maharajah hesitated. The principally Muslim population having seen the early and covert arrival of Indian troops, rebelled and things got out of the Maharajah's hands. The people of Kashmir were undoubtedly demanding to join Pakistan. The Maharajah, fearing tribal warfare, eventually gave way to the Indian pressure and agreed to join India by 'signing' the Instrument of Accession on 26th October 1947. Kashmir was provisionally accepted into the Indian Union pending a free and impartial plebiscite. This was spelled out in a letter from the Governor General of India, Lord Mountbatten, to the Maharajah on 27th October 1947. In the letter, accepting the Accession, Mountbatten made it clear that the state would only be incorporated into the Indian Union after a reference had been made to the people of Kashmir. Having accepted the principle of a plebiscite, India has since obstructed all attempts at arranging one. Heavy fighting took place in 1947-48 between the Indian and Pakistani forces over Kashmir. On 1st January 1949 a cease-fire was declared which created the first Line-of-Control.

In 1957 the state was, in effect, incorporated into the Indian Union under a new Constitution. This was done in direct contravention of the standing UN resolutions and the conditions of the Instrument of Accession. The article was rushed through by the then puppet state government of Bakshi Ghulam Mohammed; people of Kashmir were not consulted. Heavy fighting broke out again in 1965 between India and Pakistan over Kashmir. A cease-fire was established in September 1965. Indian Prime Minister, Lal Bhadur Shastri, and Pakistani President, M Ayub Khan, signed the Tashkent agreement on 1st January 1966. They resolved to try to end the dispute by peaceful means. In 1971 civil war broke out in East Pakistan and Indian forces again fought the Pakistani forces in Kashmir. This resulted in a new cease-fire and the signing of the Shimla Agreement by Indira Ghandi and Z A Bhutto. The Shimla Agreement basically reiterated the promises made in Tashkent.

Since the 1971 war, the situation may have been described as stalemate with India in control of much the larger part of Kashmir, and doing everything to emphasis her claim de jur. However, the dream of freedom from India never died; it was only suppressed from time to time by the Indians by using puppet state governments. Guardian on 14th July 1970 reports that it is "ironic that India's position in Kashmir should be increasingly challenged from within at a time when Kashmir's status as a major unsettled international dispute is declining".

Hindustan Times of August 1970 reports, "In the Kashmir People's Convention held in Srinagar in the summer of 1970, but for a few feeble voices in our [India's] favour, most of the delegates favoured either accession to Pakistan or creation of an independent Kashmir". The close of 1989 saw the beginning of the renewed struggle for freedom of Kashmir. The Kashmiris started to arm themselves to resist the Indian occupation. The then state government, headed by Dr Farooq Abdullah, was dissolved and the state placed in direct control of the governor. Since then the struggle for freedom and democracy has intensified.

The state of Azad Jammu and Kashmir lies between longitude 73o – 75o and latitude 33o – 36o and comprises an area of 5134 square miles (13,297 square kilometers). The topography of the area is mainly hilly and mountainous with valleys and stretches of plains. The area is full of natural beauty with thick forest, fast flowing rivers and winding streams. Main rivers are Jehlum, Neelum and Poonch. The climate is sub-tropical highland type with an average yearly rainfall of 1300 mm. The elevation ranges from 360 meters in the south to 6325 meters in the north