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Life on the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir
By: Atif Maqbool, Kashmiri Activist The Line of Control (LoC) that divides the state of Jammu and Kashmir has long been a symbol of division and conflict. Often referred to as a “bloody line” by the Kashmiri people, the LoC has witnessed continuous cross-border skirmishes between the Indian and Pakistani armies since 1947. It was originally formed after a tribal invasion of Kashmir, which led to both sides entrenching their military positions. Despite decades of fighting, neither side has moved beyond the same positions they held when the United Nations intervened and halted the progress of both forces.
For 73 years, the two armies have remained in a stalemate, locked at the same positions with no advancement. Yet, despite this frozen conflict, the two armies continue to engage in intense artillery fire and clashes several times a month, costing millions of rupees in ammunition and causing devastating loss of life and property on both sides of the LoC.
The Question of Ceasefire and Combat:
One must question the logic behind these ongoing exchanges of fire when neither the Indian nor the Pakistani army seems willing to advance. What, then, is the purpose of these periodic clashes? What do both sides hope to achieve through such devastating and costly confrontations? While the answer remains elusive, the bitter truth is that the conflict is not about territorial gains—it’s about a prolonged struggle for control and an attempt to destabilize the lives of the Kashmiri people caught in the crossfire.
The Human Toll:
Kashmiris live on both sides of the LoC, enduring the constant threat of violence and destruction. The exchange of heavy artillery and smaller bombs regularly devastates their homes, businesses, and infrastructure. Schools, hospitals, and essential services are also destroyed in the wake of these battles, adding to the suffering of innocent civilians. In the past month alone, over 25 people have lost their lives, more than 100 homes and 40 shops have been destroyed, and multiple schools and hospitals have been targeted.
The unrelenting nature of the conflict has created an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty, where the local population is intimidated, their spirits crushed under the weight of constant violence. The aim, it seems, is not just to fight over land but to instill a sense of helplessness in the Kashmiri people, to ensure they remain submissive and resigned to their fate, unable to raise their voices for freedom.
A Call for Humanity:
I urge you to reflect on this issue not as a Pakistani or Indian, Hindu, Sikh, or Muslim, but as a fellow human being. The lives of the Kashmiri people are caught in the middle of this political and military conflict, and it is high time the international community and the people of both nations stand up for their rights. The Kashmiri people deserve justice, peace, and the right to live free from the constant threat of violence.
It is crucial that we raise our voices for the rights of the Kashmiri people, calling for an end to this senseless conflict and for the restoration of peace in the region. Only then can we hope to see an end to the suffering that has plagued the people of Jammu and Kashmir for more than seven decades.