The renewed pledge by India and Pakistan to adhere to a ceasefire pact along the Line of Control (LoC) and international border in Jammu and Kashmir has brought cheer to the faces of people living along the LoC.
From 24 February 2021, India and Pakistan agreed to observe a ceasefire along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir. A joint statement issued by the armies of the two countries said that the move followed a discussion between Director General Military Operations of India and Pakistan over their established telephone hotline.
Since 2003, when India and Pakistan agreed on the ceasefire along the LoC, which remained successful till 2017, the people living in the border areas reaped the dividends.
Prior to the agreement, the ceasefire violations had seen a surge along the LoC both in Kashmir and Jammu divisions for some months. There was loss of lives and properties.
Abdul Subhan Cheechi of Sultan Daki village said that if the ceasefire violations continued, there would have been no option for the people than to migrate this year. “We heaved a sigh of relief after the fresh ceasefire agreement. We are really upbeat and pray for its complete success for years to come.”
Abdul Rashid, an elderly person, here, said: “We only know what happens when the cross border shelling starts. This agreement will allow us and our children to live a peaceful life.”
A group of residents said that the bunkers were the only safety shield for them during the cross-LoC shelling. “We have even started building bunkers on our own. In case ceasefire persists we won’t need the bunkers.”
They said that after last year’s frequent cross LoC shelling they had only one demand: construction of underground bunkers. “Our villages and adjoining areas have seen some deaths and damage to residential houses during the cross border shelling,” they said.
The ceasefire, for the residents of Kamalkote village means a new lease of life. “Previously, dozens of families migrated from our villages as they wanted to escape from the daily shelling.”
In November, six residents of Kamalkote were killed and several others injured and many residential houses suffered damage in the shelling. Karamat Hussain, 83, lost his 45-year-old son Irshad Ahmad.
Father of six children (four girls and two boys) , Ahmad had gone to a government store to get ration for the family. “He was hit by a shell and he died on the spot,” Karamat recalled.
The residents said that they can live a normal life and their children can go to school without any fear. “We only want peace and calm and both the countries must talk to each other,” the residents said, adding that they hope and pray that peace sustains.