Azad Kashmir

Asad Jammu and Kashmir (short Azad Kashmir, Urdu:. آزاد جموں و کشمیر Azad Jammu o Kashmir, English: Azad Jammu and Kashmir, short Azad Kashmir or AJK ) is a semi-autonomous Pakistani territory in between India, Pakistan and the People's Republic of China disputed region of Kashmir.

Policy

Through the official name of Azad Jammu and Kashmir ( = Free Jammu and Kashmir ) is underscored by the Pakistani side of Kashmir on its claim to self-determination and the "free " Jammu and Kashmir to the " non-free " part faced on the Indian side.

Consequently, Azad Kashmir is not a province of Pakistan, but chooses its own parliament, its own prime minister and a president (otherwise: Governor ). On the other hand, sees Pakistan's leadership, the future of Kashmir clearly as part of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and not as an independent country. Parties working towards the independence of Kashmir will not be allowed to contest. Currently ruled (since July 2001), the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim League ( JKML ) with the Prime Minister Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan, who already in 1985 - 1990 was in this office ( in the meantime, the PPP ruled the former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto ). Apart from the formal autonomy is Azad Kashmir economically and militarily fully integrated part of Pakistan. Not part of Azad Kashmir 's Gilgit -Baltistan (until 2009 known as Northern Areas ), which was claimed to 1947 by the Maharaja of Kashmir; a claim is contested by Pakistan since then, and the military was not secured.

Geography

Azad Kashmir borders the province of Punjab (south), the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ( west), Gilgit- Baltistan as well. Against the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir It sets out a narrow strip of 11,639 km ² west to the Indian Jammu and Kashmir, separated from it by the force since 1965 armistice line. In marked by the western foothills of the Himalayas northern part of Azad Kashmir ( Muzaffarabad Division ) dominates the valley of the Nilam (English: Neelum and Neelam ). Far from the capital Muzaffarabad (about 300,000 inhabitants), he leaves Azad Kashmir to the west. The southern part is less populated hochgebirgig and denser. Most important river valleys are those of the Jhelum (English: Jhelum ) and Punch (English: Poonch ), feed the large Mangla Dam on the border with the province of Punjab. This was completed after five years of construction in 1967 and produces today (after five-stage expansion ) during peak load periods up to 1150 MW, about 20 % of Pakistan's hydropower (as of 2001). The hydropower plant is Asad Kashmir by far the most important Industriepol. The rest of the country is dominated by agriculture and only underperformed. Main crops are cereals next to tree fruits such as apples, apricots, pears, plums and walnuts.

Population

Azad Kashmir was named one of the 2002 update of 3.2 million inhabitants, or about half more than in 1981. Population growth is about 2.5%, each household has an average of 7 members. The population is Muslim, according to official figures, 99%. Population groups are the Hindko, Potwari and the nomadic Gudschar. The languages of the first two communities are related to the Punjabi.

Others

On 8 October 2005, Azad Kashmir, which lies on the border between the Indian -Australian plate and the Eurasian continental plate, shaken by a violent earthquake of magnitude 7.6 on the Richter scale. The epicenter of the quake was near Muzaffarabad and was located close to the earth's surface. Due to the simple construction of most buildings substantial property damage was done, about 200,000 deaths are suspected in the region.