Villagers continue to flee as shelling intensifies

Hundreds of schoolchildren whom the Army and the district administration rescued on Tuesday from the schools in Noushera sector of Rajouri, hit badly by shelling, are still in shock.

About 200 of them have had a near escape while trapped in the shelling hit area. These students have seen shells hitting the nearby compounds of their school and they are now living with their families in makeshift camps set-up by the government. The Pakistani troops are sparing nothing—they are attacking the civilians, Army posts and even the vehicles.

In July, hundreds of families have migrated from Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu as the Pakistani troops have intensified their mortar shelling in many areas. Recently, at least four jawans have been killed, while some civilians have sustained injuries. “Every year, every season we have to migrate to the shelter camps,” said Abdul Majeed Khatana, who has migrated many times in the past from the frontline border village of Rajouri along with his family.

The district administration of Rajouri has not only shut the schools, but has also set up camps for the displaced families. “We have more than 4,000 people in these shelter camps,” said a senior officer of Rajouri district while talking to this reporter. According to the data displayed on news channels, from January 2017 till date, more than 40 jawans have been killed in the border shelling by Pakistan. Many civilians have been killed too.

Hundreds of families have migrated to the camps set up by the government this ummer. “We have lost hundreds of cattle, sheep and other animals. The government never pays us compensation. Our economy is badly hit,” rued Alaudin Chudhary, who is living in a shelter at Noushera.