Residents stockpile food, rush to bunkers as conflict rattles India and Pakistan
LAHORE/MUZAFARRABAD, Pakistan/AMRITSAR, India - Residents across Pakistan and India rushed to stockpile foods and other essential supplies, while families living near the border fled to safer areas, as armed clashes between the nuclear-armed nations escalated on May 9.
India and Pakistan accused each other of launching new military attacks, using drones and artillery for the third day, in the worst fighting between the two countries in nearly three decades.
The conflict erupted after India struck multiple locations in Pakistan on May 7 that it said were "terrorist camps", in retaliation for a deadly attack on Hindu tourists in Indian Kashmir in April.
In the Indian state of Punjab, Mr Amanpreet Dhillon, 26, said many families in his village — just 13km from the border with Pakistan — have already sent women and children to safer areas.
"I am also contemplating it... I'm afraid my village could be next," he said.
In Indian-administered Kashmir's Uri district, residents said many fled overnight after several houses were struck by shelling, some taking shelter behind rocks or in bunkers.
"We have never seen such intense shelling in our life. The majority of the people fled the town and other villages as soon as shelling started last night with some taking shelter in underground bunkers," said Mr Bashir Ahmad, 45, in the town of Baramulla in Uri. "It was a nightmare for us."
In the Pakistani city of Lahore, which lies near the border, residents were shaken on Thursday by drones that Pakistan said were launched by India and were shot down in the city, setting off sirens and leading the US consulate to tell its staff to shelter in place.
Schools were closed on May 9 and residents and shopkeepers said Lahoris were stocking up on food, gas cylinders for cooking and medicine, prompting authorities to issue a notice warning businesses not to artificially increase prices.
"I have stocked grocery for a month: we got meat, flour, tea, oil lentils etc and also drew extra cash from bank," said Ms Aroosha Rameez, 34, a Lahore resident.
Mr Muhammad Asif, 35, said his pharmacy had seen an influx of customers.
"People in Lahore have started stocking medicines as well, which may lead to shortages of paracetamol, anti-allergies, antibiotics, blood pressure and diabetes medicines," he said.
Food delivery app FoodPanda, popular in Pakistan, said it had seen a surge in grocery orders nationwide.
Pakistani school students take part in a mock drill in Karachi, Pakistan, on May 9.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
Across the border, India's Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution minister warned against panic buying of food grains.
"We currently have stocks many times higher than the normal requirement—whether it is rice, wheat, or pulses...There is absolutely no shortage," he said.
Mr Pankaj Seth, a resident of Amritsar in India's Punjab state, said people felt they had no choice: "We do not know if the markets will open tomorrow or not...I have children and grandchildren at home so I have to stock up."
Some residents of border regions were also requesting relatives to bring them supplies as prices rose.
"My aunt lives in Attari and has asked me to get some flour for her as supplies are getting expensive there," said Ms Navneet Kaur, a nurse in Amritsar, 30km away, who was travelling to the town with a sack of flour.
Fleeing at night
Residents of Kashmir near the line of control that divides the region faced a more stark and immediate threat.
Residents said they were starting to leave their villages and spend the nights, when shelling and firing roars through the valleys, in bunkers.
The prime minister's office in Pakistan-administered Kashmir said over 400 people had been evacuated by authorities in two areas near the line of control.
'Ever since the attack (Indian strike) in Muzaffarabad, we have been living in our bunker, which we carved into a nearby rocky mountain," said Mr Manzoor Ahmed, 43, a resident of Jura Bandi village in the Neelum Valley, where local police confirmed most people were spending the night in bunkers. REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
AsiaOne
5 hours ago
- AsiaOne
India and China work to improve ties amid Trump's unpredictability, Asia News
NEW DELHI/BEIJING — From talks on resuming direct flights to a series of high-level bilateral visits, longtime rivals China and India are quietly and cautiously strengthening ties against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump's unpredictable approach to both. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is scheduled to visit New Delhi next week for talks with India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on their disputed Himalayan border, the second such meeting since a deadly clash in 2020 between Indian and Chinese troops, two people familiar with the matter said. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at the end of the month when he travels to China — his first visit in seven years — to attend the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, a regional security bloc. The engagements follow a thaw in India and China's five-year standoff after an agreement last October on patrolling their Himalayan border, which eased the strain on bilateral ties that had hurt trade, investment and air travel. Relations were further boosted in recent weeks amid new tensions in India-US ties after decades of progress, analysts said, as Trump imposed a 50 per cent tariff on Indian exports to the United States - one of the highest levels among Washington's strategic partners. The United States and China, meanwhile, this week extended a tariff truce for another 90 days, staving off triple-digit duties on each other's goods. China and India have already agreed to resume direct flights suspended since 2020 and are discussing easing trade barriers, including reopening border trade at three Himalayan crossings. While border trade accounts for only a small portion of the US$127.7 billion (S$163.9 billion) bilateral trade recorded in the last fiscal year, its revival is seen as a symbolic step toward normalising economic ties. "We have remained engaged with the Chinese side to facilitate the resumption of border trade through all the designated trade points," India's foreign ministry spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, told a regular press conference on Thursday. Improving residents' lives Beijing told Reuters it was also ready to resume border trade that had for a long time played an "important role in improving the lives of residents along the border and enhancing exchanges between the two peoples". A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson also said Beijing has been in close communication with New Delhi to "push for the resumption of direct flights as soon as possible". India's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the exact timing. Meanwhile, India's government think-tank has proposed easing investment rules that effectively require additional scrutiny for Chinese companies — another sign of a potential shift in economic engagement. [[nid:721246]]
Straits Times
16 hours ago
- Straits Times
Germany weighs fate of Afghans in Pakistan as deportations intensify
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox BERLIN - The German government is reviewing whether Afghans stranded in Pakistan while awaiting resettlement in Germany will indeed be allowed to go there, its interior minister said on Thursday, as Islamabad intensifies deportations of Afghans. Pakistan has begun to deport documented Afghan refugees ahead of its September 1 deadline for them to leave, according to the United Nations, a step that could see more than 1 million Afghans expelled from the country. Among them are more than 2,000 Afghans awaiting visas to travel to Germany under an admission programme designed to evacuate people considered to be at risk under Taliban rule in Pakistan's neighbour Afghanistan. A source familiar with the matter said detentions of Afghans for deportation over the border have continued, even during Pakistan's Independence Day holiday on Thursday. "People with German admission approval are being brought to the Torkham border (between Pakistan and Afghanistan) as we speak," the source told Reuters. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt confirmed that some Afghans in Germany's resettlement scheme "have recently drawn the attention of Pakistani authorities", and Berlin was in discussions with Islamabad over their status. "We are reviewing whether these people can actually leave for Germany. Whether this actually happens depends on the outcome of the review process," Dobrindt told journalists. Germany's admission programme for at-risk Afghans - launched in October 2022 by the centre-left government in office at the time - is now under review following February's migration-focused election won by conservatives. The new centre-right coalition intends to close the scheme, which had already been suspended pending an ongoing review. Since May 2021, Germany has admitted about 36,500 Afghans seen as vulnerable to Taliban crackdowns, but the conservative-led government says humanitarian migration now exceeds the country's integration capacity. On Wednesday, Germany's foreign ministry said it was in close contact with Pakistani authorities and using established emergency mechanisms to prevent deportations of Afghans. The interior ministry said it could not provide a timeline to determine the future of the admission programme but expects decisions soon. It did not say whether the increase in deportations from Pakistan would hasten a decision. REUTERS
Straits Times
18 hours ago
- Straits Times
India wants US ties based on mutual respect, says its arms purchases are on course
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi shake hands as they attend a joint press conference at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 13, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo NEW DELHI - India said on Thursday that it hoped relations with the United States would move forward based on mutual respect and shared interests, seeking to temper worries that ties were headed downhill in the aftermath of high tariffs imposed by Washington. A U.S. defence policy team will be in New Delhi this month for talks with Indian officials and its arms purchases from the U.S. are on course despite the strain in ties, the Indian foreign ministry said. A new friendship built between the two countries has hit a rough patch after President Donald Trump raised tariffs on Indian goods to 50% last week from an earlier 25% saying it was a penalty for India's continued imports of Russian oil. New Delhi has accused the U.S. of double standards in singling it out for Russian oil imports and called the tariffs unfair, unjustified and unreasonable. At the same time, it has also indicated that the warming of ties that began at the turn of the century covers a wide range of areas and should not be seen only through the prism of trade, although it hopes that trade talks will continue and result in a deal. "This partnership has weathered several transitions and we hope that the relationship will continue to move forward based on mutual respect and shared interests," Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a regular media briefing. Purchases of military equipment from Washington were on course, Jaiswal said, adding that a U.S. defence policy team was expected in Delhi this month. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Over 100 people being investigated for vape offences, say MOH and HSA Singapore Bukit Merah fire: Residents relocated as town council carries out restoration works Singapore askST: What to do in the event of a fire at home Singapore Jalan Bukit Merah fire: PMD battery could have started fatal blaze, says SCDF Singapore askST: What are the fire safety rules for PMDs? Asia AirAsia flight from KL to Incheon lands at wrong airport in South Korea Opinion Could telco consolidation spell the end of attractive mobile plans? Singapore From quiet introvert to self-confident student: How this vulnerable, shy teen gets help to develop and discover her strength Reuters reported last week that India has put on hold its plans to procure new U.S. weapons and aircraft and that a planned trip to Washington by the Indian defence minister had been cancelled. The Indian government subsequently said reports of a pause in the talks were wrong. REUTERS
