Indians Along The Border Celebrate Eid As Pak Guns Fall Silent, Thanks To Army

With Indian Army showing its might and forcing Pakistan’s guns falling silent on the border in Jammu and Kashmir, the villagers of Tai and Rehlan are dressed up, exchanging sweets and greetings as they gather to celebrate the festival of Eid. The area is hardly a hundred meters from the fence along the Indo-Pakistan Line of Control in the Mendhar sub-division of Poonch and has been a regular victim to Pakistan’s cross-border shelling before 2021.

Resident Abdul recalls days of horror
Abdul Hafeez, a resident of Tai village, recalls those days of horror when Pakistan used to pound artillery shells on their houses even during the holy festival of Eid. “We have been living in this area since our birth and we have witnessed those tragic times when Pakistan used to fire artillery shells at us regularly. They didn’t even spare us during Eid as our Eidgah is only three kilometres from the borders but now peace is prevailing on the borders post-ceasefire pact and we pray to Allah that it remains intact,” he added.

Mohd Rasheed experiences peace on border
78-years-old Mohd Rasheed has also seen the changing colours on the borders – from the heavy shelling in 2000 to peace that prevailed from 2003 to 2011 after Vajpayee government’s decision of ceasefire and the heavy cross-border shelling from 2011 to 2021. Rashid tells Republic World that we used to face a lot of hardships during firing as they (Pakistan) even targeted us during Eid but now the situation has improved a lot as peace has prevailed.

Hundreds of civilians lost lives in Jammu and Kashmir
In 10 years of cross-border shelling across the Line of Control and International Border, Jammu and Kashmir has lost hundreds of civilians to Pakistan’s aggression on the people of borders. The guns have fallen silent post-February 2021 when India and Pakistan militaries agreed to abide by the ceasefire agreement.

Hakam Din, another villager of Rehlan village, says that they have seen death and destruction due to unprovoked aggression for many years but now, the Indian Army has ensured peace prevails on the border and we live our lives peacefully.