A month after the ceasefire agreement between the armies of India and Pakistan, the border residents are sighing a major relief from the regular insecurity and fear of losing lives.
The people now desire to see this agreement getting a lifetime expansion and witness a new wave of development in affected areas.
The two neighbouring countries last month agreed to adhere to all the ceasefire agreements along the Line of Control (LoC) and other sectors.
Talking to KNO, the elected representatives from both Kashmir and Jammu divisions said that there is no end to the happiness among the civilians living close to the borders who used to sleep and wake up to the intense shelling.
Block Development Council (BDC), Aijaz Ahmad Khan Tulail in the Gurez sector of Bandipora district said that for the past one month people are living in peace without any fear and insecurity who have suffered a lot in the past couple of years.
“This is a welcome step and people are living in peace. With this agreement between the two neighbouring countries, people are happy and hoping that the border areas will love further towards development,” he said.
Shahid Ahmad Sarpanch of Nambla area in Uri sector in Baramulla district said that the agreement will benefit the people from both sides since there was insecurity prevailing always among all including the workers and students.
“With the fresh talks between India and Pakistan people are more satisfied now and move out freely for work. The agreement should be made permanent,” Shahid said.
Nishada Parveen, Block Development Council (BDC) Teethwal Karnah, which is one of the most affected areas across north Kashmir told KNO that earlier people were living in constant fear.
“Students wouldn’t go to school for days. People were always in constant fear. Labour class was affected as this block remained under constant threat but this fresh agreement has given a confident and peaceful sleep to all,” Nishada said.
Jammu and Kashmir Border Areas Development Conference (JKBADC) Chairman Dr Shahzad Malik said that the ceasefire violation has always brought devastation and damage in every manner but this fresh agreement is a good step that had made everyone happy and both the government must now work on more peace agreements so that people come out of fear.
“This agreement will also help the local administration across J&K to complete the unfinished work on safety bunkers and the damaged health centres and educational institutions can be maintained and renovated as per the requirement for the betterment of people living there,” Dr Shahzad said.
Chaudhary Imran Zaffer District Development Council (DDC) Member Mankote in the Jammu division said that the people lived in warlike places and this agreement has brought ease on both sides.
“We want this peace agreement to continue for the times to come since the major insecurity for the border residents are the safety of livestock, self, and children especially since they (Border residents) have no other alternative to settle down”, he said.
Imran said that the major challenge border residents faced was the lack of development and this agreement will help to take it further and maintain the vital structures like health centres and schools and start developmental works since this is the time.
Shabir Ahmad Khan DDC member Manjakote and Vice Chairman of the District Development Council said that he belongs to one of the remotest areas in J&K which witness a heavy volume of ceasefire violation with the residential house situated just 2 kms away from Line of Control (LoC).
He said that the majority of the areas here are close to the Line of Control (LoC) and for the past month no ceasefire incident surfaced otherwise there used to be a massive cross border shelling in areas like Noushera, Mehdar, Manjakote, Balakote, Changad, and Akhnoor in which huge damage has been suffered.
“We welcome the fresh talks between India and Pakistan. We want peace at the border and don’t want our people to suffer in any manner,” Shabir said.
It may be recalled that in last month, February in a joint statement released the two Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan in a meeting decided to strictly adhere to all the ceasefire agreements along the Line of Control (LoC) and other sectors from the 25th of February.
Earlier in a tweet Army informed that a bridage command level flag meeting between India and Pakistan Army was held at Poonch Rawalkoote Crossing on 26 March to discuss the implementation mechanism as per the understanding.
Pertinently, the border shelling has killed hundreds of people in Kashmir and Jammu region since 1990 and left scores handicapped forever. Besides, houses and livestock worth billions of rupees have also been damaged as well due to the cross LoC shelling in J&K in the past 30 years.
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Kashmir News Observer (KNO) is a news agency in Jammu and Kashmir.
