AJK has become a police state- no rule of law. IG Police and the Brigadier must be removed for peace in AJK.

 AJK has become a police state- no rule of law. IG Police and the Brigadier must be removed for peace in AJK.

Shaukat Nawaz Mir was arrested after an exchange of fire. How will this affect the rights movement? https://youtu.be/sotVV-TF4Vw

From Conflict Resolution to Conflict Management: What the New India-Pakistan Track Two Dialogue Means for Kashmir. By Dr Shabir Choudhry,

 From Conflict Resolution to Conflict Management: What the New India-Pakistan Track Two Dialogue Means for Kashmir

By Dr Shabir Choudhry, June 2026, London.

Reports have emerged that, since the military confrontation between India and Pakistan following Operation Sindoor, representatives from both countries have quietly participated in a series of Track Two and Track 1.5 meetings in different parts of the world. According to media reports, these meetings have taken place in countries including Nepal, Thailand and Sri Lanka, bringing together retired diplomats, former military officers, academics, strategic experts and individuals believed to have access to decision-makers in both capitals.

The agenda of these meetings appears to have included conflict management, terrorism, military communications, the Indus Waters dispute, confidence-building measures and regional stability. Significantly, however, one subject that is close to my heart appears to have been deliberately pushed into the background—the political future of Jammu and Kashmir.

This raises an important question. Have India and Pakistan quietly shifted their objective from resolving the Kashmir dispute to merely managing its consequences?

I believe they have.

A Different Era

More than twenty-five years ago, I had the privilege of participating in what was then described as Track Two Diplomacy. During visits to New Delhi and Islamabad, I attended peace conferences, met diplomats from various countries, spoke with journalists, politicians and academics, and engaged in lengthy discussions with Pakistani officials and advisers on the future of Kashmir and South Asia.

The chapters in my forthcoming book describe many of these meetings in detail. They remind me how different the political atmosphere was at the beginning of the new millennium.

The Cold War had ended. South Asia had witnessed the Lahore Declaration. There was cautious optimism that dialogue, however difficult, might eventually replace confrontation. Although violence continued in Kashmir, there was still widespread belief that unofficial diplomacy could prepare the ground for official negotiations.

Track Two diplomacy was not intended to replace governments. Rather, it sought to create space where difficult questions could be discussed without the political constraints faced by serving officials.

Retired diplomats, former military officers, academics, journalists and politicians could examine ideas that governments were not yet prepared to discuss publicly. They could test proposals, identify areas of agreement and disagreement, and quietly communicate emerging thinking back to policy-makers.

The underlying objective was clear.

The purpose of dialogue was conflict resolution.

The Kashmir dispute itself remained at the centre of every serious discussion.

My Own Experience

During those meetings, I consistently argued that there were three parties to the Kashmir dispute: India, Pakistan and the people of the former princely State of Jammu and Kashmir.

I also maintained that no durable settlement could emerge unless all three parties participated in the process, and the people of Jammu and Kashmir, being the principal party, should have the final say.

While meeting diplomats in Islamabad, I repeatedly emphasised that the dispute was neither purely territorial nor simply a religious conflict. It was fundamentally a political dispute involving the future of a historically distinct state and the aspirations of its people.

I argued that military force alone could not resolve the issue.

Equally, I warned that presenting the Kashmiri struggle primarily in religious terms was strategically damaging. It enabled India to portray what had begun as an indigenous political movement as an extension of international Islamic militancy. I feared that this transformation would gradually erode international sympathy for the Kashmiri cause.

Unfortunately, many of those concerns were later borne out by events.

The Turning Point

The attacks of 11 September 2001 fundamentally changed the international environment.

Before 9/11, armed movements around the world were often viewed through the lens of self-determination and national liberation. Afterwards, virtually every armed conflict became increasingly interpreted through the framework of counter-terrorism.

The global political climate changed dramatically.

Governments became far less willing to distinguish between indigenous resistance movements and internationally connected militant organisations.

India successfully argued that militancy in Kashmir formed part of the wider challenge of international terrorism. Pakistan itself soon found that many of the militant groups it had previously regarded as strategic assets increasingly became a threat to its own security and stability.

As international priorities shifted, so too did the diplomatic agenda.

The emphasis gradually moved away from resolving political disputes towards containing security threats.

A New Purpose

The recent Track Two meetings appear to reflect this new reality.

According to available reports, participants have focused on preventing future military crises, strengthening communication between the armed forces, managing water disputes, addressing terrorism and reducing the risk of escalation between two nuclear-armed neighbours.

These are undoubtedly important objectives.

Indeed, after the recent military confrontation, responsible governments have every reason to improve crisis management mechanisms. Preventing another war serves the interests of both countries and, above all, the millions of ordinary people who would suffer its consequences.

Yet one cannot ignore what appears to be missing.

The Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir forcibly divided no longer seems to be the principal subject of discussion.

Instead, it has become the backdrop against which other strategic issues are managed.

This represents a profound shift.

Conflict Resolution versus Conflict Management

Although the two expressions sound similar, they describe fundamentally different approaches.

Conflict resolution seeks to address the underlying causes of a dispute. Its objective is to achieve a political settlement that removes the source of conflict.

Conflict management, by contrast, accepts that a dispute may remain unresolved for many years, perhaps indefinitely. Rather than attempting to solve it, the objective becomes preventing it from escalating into open warfare, or a nuclear war.

The difference is significant.

One seeks peace through political settlement.

The other seeks stability despite political disagreement.

History offers many examples.

The Korean Peninsula remains divided, yet conflict is carefully managed.

Cyprus has remained politically unresolved for decades while avoiding major warfare.

Many territorial disputes around the world have been stabilised without being settled.

Sadly, South Asia may now be entering a similar phase. This is not good news for the suffering people of Jammu and Kashmir. I strongly feel that the people of Jammu and Kashmir will resist this conspiracy.

Where Do Kashmiris Stand?

This development raises another important question.

If India and Pakistan increasingly conduct bilateral discussions about terrorism, water resources, military communications and regional stability while deliberately avoiding the political future of Jammu and Kashmir, where does that leave the people, whose homeland remains divided?

For decades, successive governments have spoken about Kashmir.

Far less frequently have they spoken with Kashmiris.

This has always been one of the central weaknesses of the peace process.

No solution imposed exclusively by India and Pakistan is likely to command lasting legitimacy among the diverse peoples of the former princely State. Equally, no sustainable settlement can ignore the legitimate security concerns of either country.

The challenge, therefore, remains what it has always been: to reconcile the interests of all three stakeholders.

Is Conflict Management Enough?

This is not an argument against Track Two diplomacy.

On the contrary, I remain convinced that unofficial dialogue serves a valuable purpose.

Governments often cannot publicly explore ideas that independent scholars, retired officials and experienced practitioners can discuss without political cost.

Track Two diplomacy has repeatedly demonstrated its usefulness in opening channels of communication during periods when official dialogue has broken down.

Every avoided war is a success.

Every restored communication channel reduces the risk of miscalculation.

Every confidence-building measure saves lives.

However, conflict management should never become a substitute for conflict resolution.

Managing tensions may postpone conflict.

It cannot eliminate its underlying causes.

Looking Ahead

Reading about today's Track Two meetings has reminded me of conversations I had more than two decades ago in New Delhi and Islamabad.

The methods remain remarkably similar.

The participants are often similar.

The venues are familiar.

What has changed is the objective.

Then, we hoped to create conditions for resolving the Kashmir dispute.

Today, the emphasis appears to be on ensuring that the dispute does not trigger another military confrontation between two nuclear powers.

That is undoubtedly a worthwhile objective.

But history also teaches another lesson.

Political disputes do not disappear simply because governments decide not to discuss them.

Lasting peace in South Asia will ultimately require more than military restraint, confidence-building measures or crisis management. It will require political imagination, courageous leadership and a willingness to address the underlying dispute itself.

The challenge before India, Pakistan and the people of Jammu and Kashmir is therefore not merely to prevent the next crisis.

It is to ensure that crisis management does not become a permanent substitute for conflict resolution.

Dr Shabir Choudhry is a London-based political analyst, author, and expert on South Asian affairs, with a focus on Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Kashmir. Email: drshabirchoudhry@gmail.com

Who killed the mastermind of Pehlgam attack? Why is Pakistan humiliating AJK people? JK and track 2 diplomacy.

 Who killed the mastermind of Pehlgam attack? Why is Pakistan humiliating AJK people? JK and track 2 diplomacy.

 

They want to crush the Action Committee and those who demand basic rights.

Operation Sindoor and the Return of Quiet Diplomacy to manage JK dispute.
https://youtu.be/GcQUw306KjE

Khoon ka Badla Khoon & no more talks, Ch.Riasat. Apart from a few, all Pak journalists tell lies about AJK.

 Khoon ka Badla Khoon & no more talks, Ch.Riasat. Apart from a few, all Pak journalists tell lies about AJK.

 
Absar Alam and Lord Nazir. Why does Pakistan want to spill more blood in AJK?

https://youtu.be/6-Xcl5urkao

Maulana Fazal Rehman Ka Arshad? Baber Awan supports the demands of the AJK people. AJK is not part of Pakistan.

 Maulana Fazal Rehman Ka Arshad? Baber Awan supports the demands of the AJK people. AJK is not part of Pakistan.

Pakistan has decided to crush this ‘rebellion’. Marching towards the LOC can make Pakistan defensive.
https://youtu.be/ocKkV4uu9EM

Tanveer Zaman Khan exposed Pakistani designs on Azad Kashmir. Denial of basic rights is not the way forward.

 Tanveer Zaman Khan exposed Pakistani designs on Azad Kashmir. Denial of basic rights is not the way forward.

Baloch walked to Islamabad for talks, but no one spoke to them. The result is militancy. That should not happen in Azad Kashmir. https://youtu.be/R2seq7rnvAs

The teaching of Islam and our behaviour, Dr Shabir Choudhry.

 The teaching of Islam and our behaviour, Dr Shabir Choudhry.

Israel blocked the supply of food to Gaza; hundreds of tons of food and millions of dollars and pounds were collected and sent there.

Pakistan blocked the supply of food to Azad Kashmir; no Peer, religious scholar, Imam, or even any charity dared to speak out against this tradition of Yazid and Israel or collect money for the help of suffering people of Azad Kashmir.

I thought all loves were sacred, and Islam taught equality and justice. No Arab is superior to the non-Arabs. I wonder if we, the people of Azad Kashmir, are inferior to other human beings. Are we inferior to other Muslims? Is there no value to our lives?

Enemies of Kashmir’s Independence claim that we cannot survive as a country because we are too small and landlocked. Just look at this small country.

 Enemies of Kashmir’s Independence claim that we cannot survive as a country because we are too small and landlocked. Just look at this small country.

 

𝗟𝗶𝗲𝗰𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗶𝗻 is a small country in Europe. It is a member of the United Nations. It is only 62 sq. miles with a population of 41,389. It is a landlocked country and has no airport. It is between Switzerland and Austria.

 

GDP (PPP)	2024 estimate
• Total	​ ​ $7.172 billion[6]
• Per capita	​ ​ $210,600[6]

 

As of September 2019 the Prince of Liechtenstein is the world's seventh wealthiest monarch, with an estimated wealth of US$3.5 billion.^[99]

Despite its limited natural resources, Liechtenstein is one of the few countries in the world with more registered companies than citizens; it has developed a prosperous, highly industrialised free-enterprise economy and a financial service sector as well as a living standard that compares favourably with those of the urban areas of Liechtenstein's much larger European neighbours.

 

Industries include electronics, textiles, precision instruments, metal manufacturing, power tools, anchor bolts, calculators, pharmaceuticals and food products. 

Pakistan opposed the emergence of an independent Jammu and Kashmir. ISI Major Aamar's confession.

 Pakistan opposed the emergence of an independent Jammu and Kashmir. ISI Major Aamar's confession.

 

Pakistan wants Kashmir because of water, defence, strategic location and abundant natural resources. There is no love or sympathy.

https://youtu.be/FRJFE61_gpM

Mahmood Kashmiri presents facts about AJK and how Pakistan is oppressing unarmed civilians. Struggle will continue.

 Mahmood Kashmiri presents facts about AJK and how Pakistan is oppressing unarmed civilians. Struggle will continue.

 

Pakistan has proved that they are no better than India. Both are occupiers. Our peaceful struggle will continue. https://youtu.be/8VWlRLiunhM

Azad Kashmiri protesters should march towards the LOC.

  Azad Kashmiri protesters should march towards the LOC.

 

Pakistan’s designs are clear as to what they want to do in their colony, known as Azad Kashmir. Reports suggest that around 170,000 people are protesting against the oppression, killings and massive human rights violations in the so-called Azad Kashmir.

 

Some people are suggesting that the people should march towards the Capital, Muzaffarabad. Another suggestion has emerged that these people should march towards the Line Of Control, LOC, to attract the attention of the international community.

 

The Pakistani army will have only two options: either to open fire on the unarmed civilians or let them cross the LOC.

 

Some thinking people say they have bravely faced the firing of the Pakistani police and rangers. Now, let us see what the Pakistani army does. This could be a turning point. If the Pakistani army doesn’t stop the protesters, then what will the Indian army do?

Video of a Kashmiri girl. Pak owes us Rs trillions in royalties. We are not a burden. With our resources, we can help them.

 Video of a Kashmiri girl. Pak owes us Rs trillions in royalties. We are not a burden.

With our resources, we can help them.

 

Recent Pakistani narrative: All those seeking azadi are traitors. Those seeking basic rights are shar pas’nd and agents of India. https://youtu.be/b9U62knInic

Islamabad ordered the AJK government to start talks with the Action Committee? Is the Action Committee a patriot now?

 Islamabad ordered the AJK government to start talks with the Action Committee? Is the Action Committee a patriot now?

 

The Pakistan Govt and the media have hurt our feelings and promoted hatred. Use of force and hatred will not help. If there is an agreement, who will ensure it is implemented?

https://youtu.be/Ox_vwzhXYz4

Emotions of the Azad Kashmir child. Yazid k naqshe – qadm per mat chalo. These people ask for basic rights.

  

  Emotions of the Azad Kashmir child. Yazid k naqshe – qadm per mat chalo. These people ask for basic rights.

 

Find traitors and Indian agents in your own country. We are not traitors. We are patriots of Jammu and Kashmir. We seek help from Allah. https://youtu.be/QpGn1zmIM2s

The Action Committee is fighting for people's basic rights. Stop spreading hatred and allegations.

 The Action Committee is fighting for people's basic rights. Stop spreading hatred and allegations.

 

Why is silencing dissent regarded as a victory in Pakistan? Hatred will prove counterproductive. Bring back this IG and punish him for his crimes.

https://youtu.be/VniaPmX__BE

Energy Resources Power Without Light, Dr Shabir Choudhry

 Energy Resources Power Without Light, Dr Shabir Choudhry

A chapter from my book, The Price of Occupation, Power to Pakistan and Darkness for Us.

There are 25 sectors of the Azad Kashmir economy; here, I am only discussing one sector.

 

Azad Kashmir is blessed with abundant water resources. The rivers of Neelum, Jhelum, and Poonch have the capacity to generate thousands of megawatts of electricity. Yet, despite this immense wealth, the people of Azad Kashmir continue to suffer from load-shedding, high tariffs, and underdevelopment.

 

How does Pakistan exploit POK?

 

Power Project      Capacity (MW)     Annual Generation (GWh)

 

Neelum–Jhelum Hydropower Plant:       969 MW        Annual 4,630 GWH

Mangla Dam:                                      1,150 MW     Annual 5,000 GWH

Kohala Hydropower Project:                  1,124 MW.    Annual 4,800 GWH

Gulpur Hydropower Plant:                    102 MW        Annual 465    GWH

Patrind Hydropower Plant:                    150  MW       Annual 632.5  GWH

Azad Pattan Hydropower Project:          700 MW        Annual 3,064  GWH

New Bong Escape Hydropower Plant:      84 MW          Annual 550   GWH

23 small hydro projects produce:             79.12 MW   Annual 280   GWH

 

Total:4358.12 MW   Total:19,421.5 GWH     

 

 

GWh stands for Gigawatt-hour.

•  1 Watt (W) = a very small unit of power (like a tiny bulb).

•  1 Kilowatt (kW) = 1,000 Watts (e.g., a small heater).

•  1 Megawatt (MW) = 1,000 kW (e.g., a medium-sized power plant turbine).

•  1 Gigawatt (GW) = 1,000 MW (e.g., a very large power plant or several dams combined).

The “hour (h)” means it measures energy over time (not just instant power). So:

·       1 GWh = using 1 GW (Gigawatt) of power for 1 hour.

·       It equals 1 million kilowatt-hours (kWh).

·       A 100-watt light bulb running for 10 hours = 1 kWh.

·       A small town might use a few GWh per year.

 

In the case of AJK: When we say Neelum–Jhelum plant produces 4,630 GWh/year, it means it generates 4.63 billion units of electricity every year (since 1 kWh = 1 “unit” on your electricity bill).

 

Let me put it in perspective for you:

·       AJK consumption: 350 MW

·       AJK production:    4358.12 MW 

·       Electricity stolen by Pakistan:4008.12 MW

1 megawatt=1000 Kilowatt. In total, how many units does Pakistan steal every year, and how much is it in Pakistani rupees?

 

6.1    How much electricity does Pakistan steal every year from Azad Kashmir?

 

Pakistan steals about 35.1 billion units (kWh) of electricity every year from Azad Kashmir.

 

At an average price of Rs. 30 per unit in Pakistan, this amounts to roughly Rs. 1.05 trillion annually. In simple language, in the sector of hydroelectric, Pakistan steals Rs 1.05 trillion annually from Azad Kashmir.

 

1 trillion in Urdu is 1 Kharbb per annum. The total budget of Azad Kashmir for the fiscal year 2024-2025 was RS 264 billion. 2

 

So, anyone can tell who feeds whom. This is just one sector or one source of the Azad Kashmiri income if we were independent and we had our own State Bank.

 

All the electricity generated in Azad Kashmir is automatically taken into Pakistan’s national grid because all the hydropower projects are owned and controlled by WAPDA (Water and Power Development Authority of Pakistan).

 

Because we are ‘Azad’, independent, Azad Kashmir itself has no independent transmission authority; the grid is integrated with Pakistan’s NTDC (National Transmission & Despatch Company).

 

A bitter reality is that the electricity we generate inside Azad Kashmir never comes under the Azad Kashmir government’s control. Sadly, the electricity we produce has to be bought back for local consumption. Although we produce 4358.12 MW and our consumption is 350 MW, we still suffer from long power cuts and shortages because distribution is completely under Islamabad’s control.

 

In other words, the so-called Azad Kashmir is an electric producer without ownership, supplying more electricity than it consumes, yet having no say in how it is used.

 

I hope you understand and agree with me that it is the most painful truth. Sadly, if we speak about this truth, we suffer, and are castigated as traitors, agents of foreign powers, enemies of Pakistan and enemies of Islam.

 

As pointed out above, Azad Kashmir is blessed with natural resources, including an immense hydropower potential (over 8,000 MW in AJK alone); yet the people of Azad Kashmir are not permitted to even produce 1 MW of electricity independently.

 

Every project — whether big dams like Mangla and Neelum–Jhelum or even small-scale hydropower schemes — must get approval from WAPDA (Water and Power Development Authority of Pakistan) and Islamabad.

 

This means control of our natural resources is with our powerful neighbour, Pakistan. The region, known as Azad Kashmir, has no control over its natural resources. Those who serve the interests of Pakistan are imposed upon us as our ‘elected leaders’, and exploitation continues unchecked.

A simple message:

Azad Kashmir produces electricity, but it does not own it. The people face shortages while their rivers irrigate the Pakistani land, and electricity produced here helps to fuel Pakistan’s industries and cities.

Urgent message. An emergency shall be declared soon, followed by annexation. Killers must be punished.

 Urgent message. An emergency shall be declared soon, followed by annexation. Killers must be punished.

 

A famous loyalist, Masood Khan, shall be the new President.

Those who have killed people must not be allowed to go back. Where there was no firing, they can go back.

https://youtu.be/u963aPFdjEM

A letter to Rt Hon Yvette Cooper, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs. 9 June 2026

 A letter to Rt Hon Yvette Cooper, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs.

Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP
Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
King Charles Street
London SW1A 2AH

9 June 2026

Dear Yvette Cooper, Foreign Secretary,

Subject: Human Rights Situation in Pakistan-Administered Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan

I am writing to draw your urgent attention to the deteriorating human rights situation in Pakistan-administered Jammu and Kashmir (commonly known as Azad Jammu and Kashmir) and Gilgit-Baltistan, and to request that His Majesty's Government take a more active interest in protecting the rights and welfare of the people of these regions.

The people of Jammu and Kashmir have suffered the consequences of conflict, division, political uncertainty and external control for nearly eight decades. While international attention often focuses on developments elsewhere in the region, serious human rights concerns in the territories administered by Pakistan receive comparatively little scrutiny despite their profound impact on local populations.

Recent developments have generated widespread concern among residents and members of the Kashmiri diaspora. Reports indicate the deployment of more than 20,000 security personnel, including Rangers, Frontier Constabulary, and police units, from various parts of Pakistan. There have been allegations of excessive use of force against demonstrators, arrests of political activists, restrictions on freedom of expression, communication disruptions, limitations on independent reporting and the suppression of peaceful political activity.

As a result, lives have reportedly been lost, many people have been injured, and numerous individuals have been detained. Families continue to live under conditions of uncertainty and fear. The situation has been further aggravated by restrictions on communication, Internet blocking, and the absence of independent media access, making it difficult for the outside world to obtain a clear and impartial picture of developments on the ground.

Gilgit-Baltistan faces similar challenges. Despite its immense strategic importance and vast natural resources, many local people continue to complain of political marginalisation, inadequate constitutional protections, restrictions on genuine democratic participation and limited control over their own resources and future. There is also growing concern regarding demographic changes, land ownership issues and the long-term political status of the region.

The United Kingdom cannot entirely separate itself from these developments. The origins of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute are closely connected to the circumstances surrounding the transfer of power in 1947. Britain, therefore, carries a historical and moral responsibility to support efforts aimed at protecting human rights, democratic freedoms and peaceful conflict resolution throughout the former State of Jammu and Kashmir.

I respectfully urge His Majesty's Government to:

• Closely monitor the human rights situation in Pakistan-administered Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.

• Raise concerns with the Government of Pakistan regarding allegations of excessive force, arbitrary arrests, restrictions on freedom of expression and limitations on peaceful political activity.

• Encourage independent international human rights monitoring and reporting mechanisms.

• Support democratic reforms, transparency, accountability and the rule of law in both territories.

• Engage directly with representatives of civil society, human rights defenders and community organisations from these regions.

• Ensure that humanitarian and development assistance intended for the people of Pakistan-administered Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan reaches local communities in a transparent and accountable manner.

Many residents believe that aid allocated in their name does not always reach those for whom it is intended. There is a widespread perception that funds channelled through Islamabad or other central authorities frequently fail to address local needs adequately. For this reason, any assistance provided by the United Kingdom should, wherever possible, be independently monitored and delivered through transparent mechanisms that directly benefit local communities.

The people of Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan require international attention not because they seek confrontation, but because they seek dignity, justice, democratic representation, economic opportunity and respect for their fundamental human rights.

I would also respectfully submit that the future of Jammu and Kashmir should ultimately be determined by the people of the former State themselves and not imposed by India, Pakistan or China. Lasting peace and stability can only emerge when the voices and aspirations of the people concerned are genuinely respected.

I therefore urge the British Government to raise these matters with the relevant authorities and to use its influence to encourage respect for human rights, democratic principles and peaceful dialogue.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter. I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Shabir Choudhry
Author, Political Analyst and Human Rights Advocate
London, United Kingdom.

Copies to:

• The Prime Minister,
• The Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee,
• The Chair of the Joint Committee on Human Rights,

·       Shabana Mahmood, MP and Home Secretary,

·       Imran Hussain, Chairman of the All-Parties Parliamentary Group,

·       UN.org,

·       Human Rights Watch,

·       Amnesty International,

·       Freeassembly,

·       Ohchr,

·       Freedomhouse,

·       Aiusa.org

 

 

--

Dr Shabir Choudhry

 Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) said: "Say what is true, although it may be bitter and displeasing to people."