Neelum Valley women up in arms about anti-peace moves in their area

 Concerned at the escalating tensions along the Line of Control (LoC), a group of women staged a demonstration in Neelum valley on Tuesday for continuity of peace in their area, which had long borne the brunt of cross border shelling before the rival troops struck a truce agreement in 2003.

Official sources told this scribe that over three dozen women, led by Ms Sarwar Jan, Chaand Bibi and Arifa Bibi, took out a rally from Athmuqam, district headquarters of Neelum Valley, and ended it at a nearby Pakistan army installation.

Earlier, according to some witnesses, the police tried to stop them within the town, but later gave in to their insistence to see the local military commander. 

“Indian shelling, unacceptable. We want peace,” read one of the several placards, the women were carrying on the occasion.

“UNO play your role in revival of peace along the LoC,” read another placard.

Speaking to the local army commander, representatives of demonstrators recalled that Neelum valley people had fought Indian aggression for over a decade and offered innumerable physical and material sacrifices.

“Even today we stand shoulder to shoulder with our armed forces, but we are not able to offer more sacrifices, and want revival of complete peace in our valley,” they told the military official.

They stressed that Islamabad should forcefully call upon the United Nations to take stock of recent ceasefire violations by Indian troops and play its role for revival of peace.

They also expressed serious concern at alleged movement of the activists of some outlawed militant groups in their area and called for “reining them in for the sake of peace.”

Witnesses and official sources told Dawn that the military commander assured the demonstrators that he would convey their concerns and demands to the authorities concerned.

Arifa Bibi later told local journalists that tensions along the LoC were a great conspiracy against the democracy in Pakistan and asked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to take its immediate notice.

“The government should strictly ban the movement of extremists in our area so that the much cherished peace remains intact,” she said.  

It may be recalled that it’s not the first time when Neelum valley residents have voiced their concern in the face of threat to the peace in their area.

In August last year, residents of Neelum valley staged a shutter down strike for maintenance of peace along the LoC and suppression of the alleged activities of some outlawed militant groups in their area.

In 2011, when three Pakistani soldiers were killed in unprovoked Indian shelling, the valley residents, fearful of the pre-ceasefire nightmarish conditions, had taken out a big rally in Athmuqam on the day of Eidul Fitr, calling upon Islamabad and New Delhi to exercise restraint and maintain truce along the dividing line.

Prior to that, in July 2008 around four dozen women, led by Chaand Bibi, had staged a barefoot march and a symbolic sit-in in Athmuqam against the “growing activities of some militant groups” which they feared could harm the truce along the LoC.

FEAR OF DISPLACEMENTS

The demonstration in Athmuqam coincided with unprovoked shelling by Indian troops in Nakial sector of Kotli district, triggering panic and fears of displacements after a decade long gap.

“They (Indian troops) started shelling at 8:45 am in the morning, yet again without any provocation, targeting various villages of Nakial sector with small weapons and mortars,” deputy commissioner Kotli Masoodur Rehman told this blogger.

However, fortunately there were no casualties, he said. 

He regretted that the Indian troops were “brazenly targeting civilian populations” which had compelled the administration to consider relocation of affected people, where unavoidable.

He said the administration had re-activated “Village Coordination Committees” (VCC), comprising notables of border areas, to take decisions regarding relocation of affected people in consultation with them.  

Nakial sector has seen 11 persons, including a soldier, wounded over the past one week. According to Pakistani military sources, Indian troops had pounded 800 shells in this sector alone on Thursday.

“This indicates that Indians seem to be in no mood to let the peace prevail along the dividing line,” Mr Rehman said.

At least 20 houses and 3 vehicles were completely or partially damaged, and over 10 buffaloes, each costing 100 to 150 thousand rupees, killed and several other cattle injured in Nakial sector in one week, meaning thereby the people had started suffering economically as well, he added.

It may be recalled that prior to the November 2003 ceasefire along the LoC, displacements and relocations of affected populations were a regular occurrence. The truce however had brought an end to this painful activity.... Tariq Naqash