Nissar Chowdry
In recent months the Pakistan army has been behaving in a rather aggressive manner on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir in blatant violation of the mutually agreed ceasefire agreement. Its rogue actions have included the killing of an Indian soldier in January 2013 and an ambush on the Indian side of the LoC, which resulted in the death of five Indian soldiers in the Poonch sector. Since then, there have been daily incidents of trans-LoC firing, including in the relatively quiet Kargil sector. The Indian army has responded appropriately to this unprovoked firing. As far as the LoC is concerned, the most volatile sectors have been Krishan Ghati and Rampur in the general area of Poonch, which have witnessed 92 and 42 violations, respectively, since 2009.
The ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan came into effect in 2003, following which both sides were to refrain from unprovoked firing at each other’s posts. Prior to the ceasefire, there was regular cross-border firing and even exchange of artillery barrages, which resulted in numerous civilian and military casualties on either side. Even after the ceasefire was imposed, there were reports of violations by Pakistan.
The unprovoked firing from across the border has thrown normal life out of gear in these hamlets where people are living under the constant threat to their to life and properties. Repeated sounds of gunfire and shelling are keeping people scared. More than 80 major ceasefire violations have taken place on border since January this year during which a lot damaged besides causalities of Border guards. However, during the past couple of weeks, particularly since the recent killing of five Indian Army Jawans at Punjar Post near Chakkan – Da- Baagh in Poonch, hostilities have amplified on the border.
Areas adjoining the Line of Control in Rajouri and Poonch are the worst affected of ceasefire violations and unprovoked firing by the Pakistani troops. Tarkundi, Dear Dipsi, Mirpur, Basuni, Jhallas, Salotri , Kasba , Kerni and Gontrian are among these worst affected hamlets on the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch, which are in direct range of Pakistani fire . Whenever there is firing from across the border people of these villages suffer loss of lives, crops and cattle. Many times they have been uprooted.
Comprising more than two thousand families and spread in the radius of 3-5 Kilometer, Kerni, is the, most well known and biggest among these villages bearing the brunt of Pakistan firing. According to the locals, a number of schools situated close to the Line of Control in Balakote, Mendhar and Mankot areas in Pooch are unofficially lying closed in view of the continuous firing from the across the border. Neither parents are sending their wards to attend the classes, nor the teacher nor staff are visiting the schools, which are lying closed for the last few weeks.
Further, more agricultural land is becoming barren as cultivation has become risky in view of firing. It is more painful to see the standing crop getting destroyed than leaving the fields uncultivated and barren, explained a villager while pointing towards his fields near zero line on other side of the fence .Going to fields situated between the zero line and fencing, is just like inviting death and this is the reason that people have left their agricultural land uncultivated, ” In case of firing, you can’t flee to safer places as the fencing gates are located at big distance and remain lying on ground is the only way to save yourself from the bullets,” explained people who have been demanding that the fencing should be extended closer to the border.
Women and children prefer to remain inside the houses and only men go to the fields that too during the wee hours or in the evening only as fear continues to haunt the border villagers. Since hostilities between the two neighboring countries is a bitter truth and there seems no permanent end to the same notwithstanding the efforts of peaceniks, the Government has to take short term as well as long term measures for security of border residents and their property.
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