Introduction and Political History
– Azad Kashmir is the title of a pamphlet issued by the Muslim Conference party in 1945, declaring the commitment of the Muslims of Jammu and Kashmir to the struggle for a separate homeland (Pakistan).
– The Muslim Conference claimed to be the sole representative organization of the Muslims of Kashmir.
– At the time of the Partition of India in 1947, the princely states were left with the options of joining India or Pakistan or remaining independent.
– Muslims in the western districts of Jammu province and the Frontier Districts province wanted to join Pakistan.
– An uprising against the maharaja broke out in Poonch in 1947.
– Azad Kashmir was declared as a provisional government in Lahore in 1947.
Geography and Climate
– Azad Kashmir is located in the lower area of the Himalayas.
– The highest peak in the state is Sarwali Peak in Neelum Valley.
– The region receives rainfall in both winter and summer, with Muzaffarabad and Pattan being the wettest areas.
– Monsoon floods of the Jhelum and Leepa rivers are common during the summer season.
– The southern parts of Azad Kashmir have extremely hot weather in summer and moderate cold weather in winter.
– The central and northern parts of the state have moderately hot weather in summer and cold weather in winter.
– Snowfall occurs in December and January in these areas.
– Muzaffarabad and Pattan are among the wettest areas, but they do not receive snow.
Economy
– Azad Kashmir’s economy largely depends on agriculture, services, tourism, and remittances.
– Nearly 87% of households in Azad Kashmir own farm property.
– The region has the highest rate of school enrollment in Pakistan.
– The literacy rate in Azad Kashmir is approximately 74%.
– Reconstruction of infrastructure is underway after the devastating earthquake in 2005.
Rainfall and Floods
– The region receives rainfall in both winter and summer, with Muzaffarabad and Pattan being the wettest areas.
– Monsoon floods of the Jhelum and Leepa rivers are common during the summer season.
– The average rainfall exceeds 1400mm, with the highest average rainfall near Muzaffarabad.
Highest Peak and Snowfall
– The highest peak in Azad Kashmir is Sarwali Peak in Neelum Valley.
– Snowfall occurs in December and January in the central and northern parts of the state, but Muzaffarabad and Pattan do not receive snow. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azad_Kashmir
Azad Jammu and Kashmir (/ˌɑːzæd kæʃˈmɪər/; Urdu: آزاد جموں و کشمیر, transl. 'Free Jammu and Kashmir' ⓘ), abbreviated as AJK and colloquially referred to as simply Azad Kashmir, is a region administered by Pakistan as a nominally self-governing entity and constituting the western portion of the larger Kashmir region, which has been the subject of a dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947. Azad Kashmir also shares borders with the Pakistani provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the south and west, respectively. On its eastern side, Azad Kashmir is separated from the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir (part of Indian-administered Kashmir) by the Line of Control (LoC), which serves as the de facto border between the Indian- and Pakistani-controlled parts of Kashmir. Geographically, it covers a total area of 13,297 km2 (5,134 sq mi) and has a total population of 4,045,366 as per the 2017 national census.
Azad Jammu and Kashmir | |
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Administered by Pakistan as a self-administrative territory | |
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 Interactive map of Azad Kashmir | |
| Coordinates: 33°50′36″N 73°51′05″E / 33.84333°N 73.85139°E | |
| Administered by | Pakistan |
| Established | October 24, 1947 (Azad Kashmir Day) |
| Capital | Muzaffarabad |
| Largest city | Muzaffarabad |
| Government | |
| • Type | Self-governing state under Pakistani administration |
| • Body | Government of Azad Kashmir |
| • President | Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry |
| • Prime Minister | Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq |
| • Chief Secretary | Muhammad Usman Chachar |
| • Legislature | Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly |
| • High Court | Supreme Court of Azad Jammu and Kashmir |
| Area | |
| • Total | 13,297 km2 (5,134 sq mi) |
| Population (2017) | |
| • Total | 4,045,366 |
| • Density | 300/km2 (790/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+05:00 (PKT) |
| ISO 3166 code | PK-AJK |
| Main language(s) |
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| Literacy rate (2017) | 74% |
| HDI (2019) | 0.612  Medium |
| Divisions | 3 |
| Districts | 10 |
| Tehsils | 33 |
| Union Councils | 182 |
| Website | www |
The territory has a parliamentary form of government modelled after the British Westminster system, with the city of Muzaffarabad serving as its capital. The President of AJK is the constitutional head of state, while the Prime Minister, supported by a Council of Ministers, is the chief executive. The unicameral Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly elects both the Prime Minister and President. The territory has its own Supreme Court and a High Court, while the Government of Pakistan's Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan serves as a link between itself and Azad Jammu and Kashmir's government, although the autonomous territory is not represented in the Parliament of Pakistan.
Northern Azad Kashmir lies in a region that experiences strong vibrations of the earth as a result of the Indian plate underthrusting the Eurasian plate. A major earthquake in 2005 killed at least 100,000 people and left another three million people displaced, causing widespread devastation to the region's infrastructure and economy. Since then, with help from the Government of Pakistan and foreign aid, reconstruction of infrastructure is underway. Azad Kashmir's economy largely depends on agriculture, services, tourism, and remittances sent by members of the British Mirpuri community. Nearly 87% of Azad Kashmiri households own farm property, and the region has the highest rate of school enrollment in Pakistan and a literacy rate of approximately 74%.
