Panic in Buddhal area as Army moves out 
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Rajouri, January 6
With the Army moving out of the Rajnagar area in Buddhal, panic has spread among residents, who fear militants could launch attacks in the area that has been hit hard by militancy in the past. A few years back, 11 members of three families were killed by the militants on October 9, 2005, in Dhar and Gabbar villages of the Buddhal area, forcing these families to migrate.
Area residents said after the infantry brigade of the Army moved out of the area they became soft targets for the militants. They added that the Army’s movement out of the area inhabited by about 40,000 people had created panic among them.
“Since militants are very active in the area, we fear for our lives,” said Bhagwan Singh, local BJP leader and an area resident. “We urge the Army authorities to reconsider their decision in view of militant threats”.
Another resident and social worker Maulvi Fareed told The Tribune that the Army had done a lot to bring a sense of security among people here and had been successful in thwarting evil designs of the militants. “The Army authorities should immediately rush in replacement so that people don’t fear for their life.”
Army sources confirmed that the infantry brigade had been moved out of the area. However, they added that the same would return to the area within next 20-25 days. “Troops of one of the infantry brigades in Nowshera have gone to Rajasthan for practising firing. They will be back within next 20-25 days. The brigade from Buddhal has temporarily replaced this brigade”, the sources said.