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New Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Shell-hit J&K villagers await relief amid assessment row
SRINAGAR: Two weeks after the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan came into effect after three days of intense skirmishes following the May 7 Operation Sindoor, the ruling National Conference (NC) legislators from Uri and Poonch, the areas most affected by cross-border shelling, have claimed that the administration is yet to complete the damage assessment. However, the Chief Minister's advisor has asserted that the assessment has been finished and the government is now awaiting a central relief package. The Pakistani shelling in the border areas of J&K left at least 18 civilians dead including 13 in Poonch, 3 in Rajouri and one each in Uri and Jammu and over 100 injured. The worst-hit areas include Poonch, Rajouri, and Uri, where hundreds of houses and structures were damaged. MLA Uri Sajjad Shafi told this newspaper that the damage assessment by the district administration is ongoing but has not been completed. He noted that more than 500 houses in Uri were damaged, with some completely destroyed and others severely or partially damaged. The government has provided compensation ranging from Rs 6,500 to Rs 1.30 lakh, depending on the level of damage. However, Shafi urged the government to increase the relief amount. 'We have requested Rs 10 lakh for fully damaged houses, Rs 5 lakh for severely damaged houses and Rs 3 lakh for partially damaged homes,' he said, adding that these amounts would help the affected families rebuild their homes.
United News of India
13-05-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
Border conflicts traumatising people, we want permanent peace: Local MLA
Uri (Kashmir), May 13 (UNI) The May 10 ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan has brought relief to this area located near the Line of Control (LoC) but the cessation of fighting should be permanent and not temporary, says Sajjad Shafi, who represents this trouble-torn area as a Member in the J&K Assembly. The doctor-turned-politician lamented that for decades, the inhabitants of Uri had suffered physically and mentally because of the oft-repeated armed conflicts between India and Pakistan. Even the recent cross-border shelling and firing has left the residents of this border area traumatised and fear-struck, the MLA told UNI in an interview here. He said over 50,000 people were evacuated from Uri after intense cross-border shelling by Pakistan began on May 8 and around 500 houses were damaged. Many border residents are still grappling with the mental scars of displacement and violence, he said. Such is the trauma, he said, "When I asked the children at a relief camp if they wanted to go back home, they clung to me and said, 'we don't want to return.' It was "heartbreaking" and "one of the most haunting memories from the recent Indo-Pak border tensions, one that will stay with me forever," the lawmaker said. 'The most painful memory is hearing that someone was martyred or injured, and the cries of children leaving their homes in terror,' he said. Appealing for permanent peace between India and Pakistan, the MLA highlighted that war brings only destruction and suffering. 'It is not the people of Delhi or Islamabad, but we, the border people, who suffer every time. From 1947 to now, generation after generation, we've paid the price," he said. Referring to the May 10 ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan, Shafi said while the move has brought temporary calm, more permanent solution is needed. 'We pray the ceasefire holds — not just for now, but permanently. Our people deserve to live normal lives, do agriculture, and work in peace,' said Shafi, who said he was camping in Uri during the height of shelling and firing, a period he described as 'really, really devastating." Noting that decades of violence has repeatedly shattered the lives of border residents, the lawmaker said, 'Our children deserve peace, education, and a future — not trauma. We have the right to live and laugh like people in Delhi, Srinagar, or Lahore. But today, even our children have forgotten how to smile." Urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Shehbaz Sharif to engage in dialogue, Shafi said, 'Become statesmen and talk. Neither India nor Pakistan can change their neighbours, but they can change their future through peace.' Citing ongoing conflicts like Russia-Ukraine and Gaza, he added, 'War has never brought happiness — only devastation. Generations, lands, and futures are lost. The only solution is peace, peace, and peace.' The MLA said that as per the preliminary assessment 500 houses were damaged in the shelling. He added that the final assessment is still underway, but the initial findings have painted a grim picture of widespread devastation. 'The majority of the damaged structures have been completely reduced to rubble, while the rest have sustained partial damage,' the MLA said. Shafi emphasized that the immediate challenge now is to rehabilitate the displaced families, many of whom have lost everything. UNI MJR AKK PRS
Time of India
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Forced to flee due to Pakistan shelling, LoC villagers start returning home
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Srinagar: Residents of villages close to Line of Control have started returning home. They were forced to flee due to heavy Pakistani shelling They started their journey back after bomb disposal squads cleared the areas of any leftover or unexploded shells, officials said. "We are happy that a ceasefire has been reached. We are hopeful that Pakistan will not resort to such activities again," said Arshad Ahmad, a resident of Kamalkote area in residents praised the Army and other security forces for taking care of them. Uri MLA Sajjad Shafi asked villagers to remain vigilant and not touch anything suspicious. Over 1.25 lakh people in Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara were evacuated to safety as their homes were at a very high risk of being targeted.(With PTI Inputs)
