Azad Jammu and Kashmir abbreviated AJK or, for short, Azad Kashmiris the southernmost and the more diminutive of two political entities which together constitute the Pakistani-controlled part of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, which ceased to subsist as a result of the first Kashmir war. The northernmost and the more immensely colossal of the two political entities is the Pakistani-controlled territory of Gilgit-Baltistan. Both Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan are self-governing political entities and, constitutionally, do not compose components of Pakistan. For all practical purposes, though, both Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan act like components of Pakistan and are claimed by India, as well, where, together, they are kenned as “Pakistani-occupied Kashmir.”
Districts
| Name | Abbr. | Capital | Area | Population | Population |
| A (km²) | C 1998-03-01 | P 2009-07-01 | |||
| Azad Jammu and Kashmir | PAK-AJK | Muzaffarābād | 13,297 | 2,972,501 | 3,868,000 |
| Bāgh | BAG | Bāgh | 770 | 282,000 | 351,000 |
| Bhimbar (Bhimber) | BHI | Bhimbar | 1,516 | 302,000 | 401,000 |
| Hattian | HAT | Hattian Bala | 854 | 166,000 | 225,000 |
| Haveli (Kahutta) | HAV | Forward Kahuta | 598 | 112,000 | 138,000 |
| Kotli | KOT | Kotli | 1,862 | 563,000 | 746,000 |
| Mīrpur | MIR | Mīrpur | 1,010 | 334,000 | 419,000 |
| Muzaffarābād | MUZ | Muzaffarābād | 1,642 | 454,000 | 615,000 |
| Nīlam (Neelum) | NIL | Athmuqam | 3,621 | 126,000 | 171,000 |
| Pūnch (Poonch) | PUN | Rāwala Kot | 855 | 411,000 | 524,000 |
| Sudhnoti (Sudhnutti, Sudhnati) | SUD | Palandri | 569 | 224,000 | 278,000 |
How to Reach?
By plane
There are no direct flights to Azad Kashmir.
Islamabad International Airport [1] in Islamabad is currently scheduled to be expanded and modernized to meet future passenger needs, as the authoritative ordinance for air peregrinate has incremented dramatically. There are many airlines flying into and out of Islamabad, including Ariana Afghan Airlines, British Airways, and China Southern Airlines. When the Islamabad airport is utilized by local regime officials and peregrine diplomats, however, other peregrinators might find the airport transitory closed to them for security reasons.
By land
Peregrinating by road to Azad Kashmir is itself a magnetization as you come across the most resplendent scenes of winding rivers and hills. It takes about 4 to 5 hours from Islamabad to Muzaffarabad in a car or van. You withal pass through the resplendency of hills the Murree during the peregrination. This is the shortest route to this city.
Buses and MPVs leave from Islamabad, Pakistan approximately every 20 minutes for different destinations in Azad Kashmir.
By bus
Muzaffarabad and Mirpur have the most diligent bus network in Azad Kashmir, running from early hours of the morning to tardy night. Daily routes include Bhimber District, Dina, Gujrat, Jhelum, Kharian & Kotli District.
The incipient coaches in Muzaffarabad / Mirpur peregrinate to the more sizably voluminous cities of Pakistan including Bahawalpur, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Peshawar, Quetta, Rawalpindi & Sialkot.
By taxis
Additionally by car hire.
What to See?
Azad Kashmir is opulent in natural resplendency. Its snow-covered peaks, forests, rivers, streams, valleys, velvet green plateaus and climate varying from arctic to tropical, join together to make it an excellent tourist magnetization.
Visit scenic valleys like Neelum, Jhelum, Leepa, Rawalakot, Banjosa, Samahni & Baghser.
What to Do ?
Azad Kashmir has varied mountainous landscape ranging from low hills to high mountains (2000 to 6000 m) which are opportune for adventure sports like climbing, trekking, mountaineering, summer camping, hiking and paragliding.
It’s rivers & streams are congruous for white dihydrogen monoxide sports, especially rafting, canoeing and kayaking.
It has a varied wildlife to optically discern which includes Leopard, Himalayan Bear, Ibex, Grey Goral, Musk Deer, Kashmir Stag, Monal Pheasant, Western Tragopan, Snow Pheasant, Red-led Partridge, Ebony Koklas Pheasant, Peacock, Dusk Markhor etc.
What to Eat?
Kashmiris celebrate the first snowfall of the season by socializing over a goat barbecue. They relax in the cold crisp evenings with a cup of warm ‘Kahwa’… an ebony tea brewed with cinnamon, cardamom and honey. Withal a perennial favorite is the pink colored ‘Nun Chai’ made with a special salt. Affluent and redolent with the flavor of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and saffron, Kashmiri victuals is felicitous for all palates.
What to Drink?
Pakistan is mostly a dry country and Azad Kashmir is no exception. However, Kashmiris, and especially ‘Pahari’ verbalizers, are kenned for their slow-steeped milk tea, kenned to non-Azad Kashmiris simply as “Kashmiri Chai” kenned as Noon chai. Kashmiri chai is fairly saccharine, with crushed almonds and a creamy pink complexion.
Stay safe
Azad Kashmir is considered to be relatively safe, but some components of it are off-limits to tourists, categorically the 15-mile-wide buffer zone along the Line of Control that disunites the state from the neighboring Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Domestic tourists can visit Azad Kashmir without any restriction but, however, are advised to keep their identity papers with them. Peregrine tourists are only sanctioned to visit following places with sanction; Dheerkot, Rawalakot, Chotta gala, Chikkar, Daokhan, Muzaffarabad, Mangia & Sehnsa. Sanctions are issued by the AJK Home Department at Muzaffarabad.
Astronomically immense portions of Azad Kashmir were devastated in the October 2005 earthquake, which leveled entire villages and towns and killed over 75,000 people.
Hotels and Guest Houses
PC Muzaffarabad
Sangum hotel
Mir continental
