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|&nbsp;|| [[Neelum District|Neelum]]<ref name="explain">'''Note:''' Neelum is a recently created district and no figures are available yet. Refer to the link below. </ref> <ref name="neelum">{{en icon}} {{cite web| url=http://www.ajk.gov.pk/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2256&Itemid=144| title="Facts and Figures"| first=Government of Azad Kashmir| last=Official website| accessdate=2006-04-19}}</ref> ||
|&nbsp;|| [[Neelum District|Neelum]]<ref name="explain">'''Note:''' Neelum is a recently created district and no figures are available yet. Refer to the link below. </ref> <ref name="neelum">{{en icon}} {{cite web| url=http://www.ajk.gov.pk/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2256&Itemid=144| title="Facts and Figures"| first=Government of Azad Kashmir| last=Official website| accessdate=2006-04-19}}</ref> ||
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|'''Poonch Rawalakot''' || [[Poonch District|Poonch]] || 855 || 411,035
||&nbsp; || [[Poonch District|Poonch]] || 855 || 411,035
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|&nbsp;|| [[Rawalakot]] ||
|&nbsp;|| [[Rawalakot]] ||

Revision as of 10:57, 15 January 2007

This article details only the area administered by Pakistan. For the full region see Kashmir
Azad Kashmir
Flag of Azad Kashmir Map of Pakistan with Azad Kashmir highlighted.
Capital
 • Coordinates 		Muzaffarabad
 • 34°13′N 74°23′E / 34.22°N 74.39°E / 34.22; 74.39
Population
(2006 estimate)[1]
 • Density 		3,965,999
 • 298 people/km²
Area[2]
 13,297 km²
Time zone PST (UTC +5)
Main language(s) Kashmiri
Urdu
Hindko
Mirpuri
Pahari
Gojri
Status Autonomous State
(Disputed territory)
 • Divisions  •  2
 • Districts  •  8
 • Tehsils  •  19
 • Union Councils  •  182
Established
 • President
 • Prime Minister
 • Legislative Assembly 		   1948
 • Raja Muhammad Zulqarnain Khan
 • Sardar Ateeq Ahmed Khan
 • 49
Website Gov't of Azad Kashmir

Azad Kashmir (Urdu: آزاد کشمیر, English: Free Kashmir), is part of the Pakistani administered section of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, along with the Northern Areas; its official name is Azad Jammu and Kashmir. It covers an area of 13,300 km² (5,135 mi²), with its capital at Muzaffarabad, and has an estimated population of almost 4 million people.

Azad Kashmir has been considered politically, constitutionally and geographically as part of a separate state, i.e. Jammu & Kashmir. The said state is disputed territory and has been controlled by both Pakistan and India, since their independence, 14 / 15th August 1947, respectively. Azad Kashmir is under the in-direct control of Pakistan and its area is known as Azad Jammu & Kashmir. Its defense, foreign policy and currency are the matters, which are under the direct control of Pakistan.

Consequently, the financial matter, i.e. budget and tax affaires have been dealt with Azad Jammu & Kashmir Council, instead of Central Board of Revenue. Azad Jammu & Kashmir Council is a supreme body, consisted upon 11 members, 6 members are from the Government of Azad Jummu & Kashmir, 5 members are from the Government of Pakistan. Also its chairman / chief executive is always the President of Pakistan. Hence, the rest of members are Azad Kashmir's own Prime Minister and President and some ministers, (also note that Azad Kashmir has its own president, prime minister and legislative assembly also supreme-court and high-court & other departments). The Central Board of Revenue (CBR) is responsible for tax affaires of rest of all Pakistani territory, i.e. all four provinces and the capital, Islamabad.

Azad Kashmir alongwith the Northern Areas is claimed by India as an integral part of its territory.

History

After the partition of India in 1947, the king of Jammu and Kashmir (Modern Day Indian Jammu and Kashmir + Azad Kashmir + Northern Areas + Aksai Chin) decided to let Jammu-Kashmir be an independent state. This was soon followed by a tribal invasion of Kashmir backed by regular Pakistani troops. Fearing the might of Pakistani Forces, Kashmir sought military help from India and in-turn decided to accede with India. India accepted this and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 was fought to send Pakistani forces back. However, the war was not decisively complete and a cease fire was called in 1948. The dispute has not yet been solved and the part of Kashmir to the west of that Cease-Fire Line or the Line of Control continues to be administered by Pakistan. This Western Kashmir was subsequently divided the into following provinces/regions by Pakistan:-

  1. Azad Kashmir - The narrow Southern part - 250 miles (400 km) in length with the width varying from 10 to 40 miles (15 to 65 km), 5,135 mi² (13,300 km²)
  2. Northern Areas - A much larger area, 27,991 mi² (72,496 km²), incorporated into Pakistan and administered as a de facto dependency
  3. Trans-Karakoram Tract - A small region at the Northern frontier of Gilgit-Baltistan agency, ceded to the People's Republic of China by Pakistan in 1963.

Government

File:Toli pir 6 Rawalakot AJK.JPG
Toli Pir Rawalakot

Azad Kashmir is nominally autonomous, with its own elected President, Prime Minister, Legislature, and High Court. The state is divided into two administrative divisions which in turn are composed of seven districts.

Division District Area (km²) Pop.(1998)
Mirpur Bhimber 1,516 301,633
  Kotli 1,862 563,094
  Mirpur 1,010 333,482
Muzaffarabad Bagh 1,368 393,415
  Muzaffarabad 6,117 745,751
  Neelum[3] [4]
  Poonch 855 411,035
  Rawalakot   Rawala kot
  Sudhnati 569 334,091
Azad Kashmir 7 districts 13,297 2,972,501

Demographics

Although a proper census has not been taken in recent years, the best estimates conclude that the Azad Kashmir region has approximately 4 million inhabitants of which 12% is urban. The population of Azad Kashmir includes the Rajput, Sudhan, Kashmiri, Gojar, Jat, Awans, Abbasy, Mughal, Ansari, Malik, Rehmani and many other tribs. Tribes or clans (biraderi) are important for some groups in the region and include: the Sudhun, Abbasis(Dhond Abbasi tribe), Gujjars, Mirpuri Jats, and rajput. The Hindko and Mirpuri dialects are both related to Punjabi, but have distinct separate features. Mirpuri is spoken in the United Kingdom by the Mirpuri community; Mirpuri is a local dialect of Punjabi spoken in and around the Mirpur and Kotli districts. About 60-70% of Kashmiri-Pakistanis living in the UK today originate from the Azad Kashmir area and in particular from District Mirpur. Azad Kashmir is predominantly Muslim.

Geography

Azad Kashmir is cold, mountainous region that boasts some of the most scenic mountains and river valleys. The region includes a significant part of the Himalayas, but does not include Nanga Parbat, the world's seventh highest mountain peak, which is in the "Northern Areas".

Economy

In late 2006, a staggering $20 billion development scheme was mooted by Pakistan for reconstruction and rehabilitation of the earth-quake hit zones in Azad Kashmir. [1] A land use plan for Muzaffarabad city had been prepared by Japan International Cooperation Agency.

Pictures

See also

References

  1. ^ Template:En icon Stefan Helders, World Gazetteer. ""Pakistan: Administrative Divisions (population and area)"". Retrieved 2006-04-19.
  2. ^ Template:En icon Official website, Government of Azad Kashmir. ""Introduction:"". Retrieved 2006-04-19.
  3. ^ Note: Neelum is a recently created district and no figures are available yet. Refer to the link below.
  4. ^ Template:En icon Official website, Government of Azad Kashmir. ""Facts and Figures"". Retrieved 2006-04-19.

Template:PakPoliticalDivisions

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