Border residents want ceasefire to be permanent
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Mendhar (Poonch), May 8
Almost four years after guns fell silent along the Line of Control (LoC) due to ceasefire between India and Pakistan, people in the border township of Mendhar, who suffered most due to hostility between the two countries, are heaving a sigh of relief.

Before 2003, residents of this township (just a few kms from Kotli district of the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) lived in constant fear of getting killed due to heavy shelling from across the border.

Residents say a number of locals lost their lives due to shelling before the ceasefire and there was a huge loss to property as well.

They say hundreds of animals also died due to shelling in Mendhar and its adjoining areas, including Balakote, Mankote Sagra and Gaulad.

However, with guns falling silent along the LoC, fear of people has lessened though not vanished for the reason that they feel that guns will fall silent permanently only when the two countries become friends.

Residents said people used to rush home after 5 pm during those days, but the ceasefire ensuring no cross fire along the LoC, the markets now remain crowded till late in the evening.

"Four years ago, there was constant fear in the minds of people here that they will get killed in heavy shelling. But after ceasefire between the two countries, the guns have fallen silent and there is peace along the border", said Muhammad Sajid of Gaulad, where shells from across the border were a regular affair.

"We pray for friendship between India and Pakistan, because that only can ensure permanent peace along the borders".

Months before the two countries announced ceasefire along the border, Rafiq Khan, a numberdar of adjoining Balakote village, died after a shell hit him.

Though the villagers of Balakote still recollect the shocking incident, yet they hope that such incidents don't repeat and permanent peace will prevail along the border.

"Though Rafiq lost his life during the shelling, but we hope that such incidents won't happen again. The hostility between the two countries has added to the sufferings of people and who better than people living along the borders know that war leads only to devastation and bloodshed on either side", said Muhammad Rasheed, of Balakote.

"We are hoping that this time around ceasefire will be a permanent one and there will be no use of weaponry again".