BY IDREES AHMAD
Uri: As Indo- Pak armies are observing a ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC), a marriage ceremony took place with full rejoice for the first time on Tuesday in this border town in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
The bridegroom Mudasir Ahmad Khawaja who hails from Garkote village visited Silikote area of Hajipeer sector along the LOC for his Bharaat.
Silikote has over a dozen families left behind and the village falls inside the Indian fence. Due to the frequent shelling and firing from across the border for the last 30-years, most of the villagers have left the place and settled down in Uri town and its nearby areas like Lagama and Salamabad.
Bridegroom Mudasir told Greater Kashmir said that it was a totally an emotional moment for him.
“Since my childhood, I have seen all these areas being affected by cross-border shelling. Now, since there has been a ceasefire agreement between both the countries, it has returned peace to the borders and made my marriage possible too,” he said.
“As peace continues on LoC, my Bharaat was given a warm welcome by the Indian Army at the fence gate, the only entry point that leads to the village,” Mudasir added.
Bridegroom’s father Mummad Din Khawaja appealed to both the heads of the countries to maintain peace on borders.
“Since now onwards we will be visiting our new relativities frequently in Silikote village. I hope that peace will continue and everyone living in LoC villages can take a sigh of relief,” he said.
Bride’s father Muhammad Akram Chalkoo said that the marriage ceremony went very well. “Everything was possible because of the ceasefire along the LoC. We were also able to attend all the guests warmly this time,” Chalkoo said.
On February 25, 2021, Indian and Pakistani armies announced that they had begun observing a ceasefire along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir from the midnight of February 24.