There are no fresh reports of border ceasefire violations or drone sightings, and there was a semblance of normalcy in J&K on Sunday morning.
SRINAGAR — People of Jammu and Kashmir woke up to a calm and quiet morning, unlike their previous days, when sounds of heavy blasts, sirens and explosions tormented them.
There are no fresh reports of border ceasefire violations or drone sightings, and there was a semblance of normalcy.
The markets in Srinagar and other parts of the Valley are again abuzz with activity, with people shopping without any fear of drone attacks, TNIE reported.
“Yesterday was a very scary evening as loud explosions could be heard around Srinagar and adjoining areas. My children were scared as there was a blackout immediately after the explosions,” said Mushtaq Ahmed, a resident of Srinagar’s outskirts.
“It took me a lot of effort to convince my children that everything will be normal,” he added.
Loud explosions were heard, possibly of drones being downed by the air defence system, yesterday evening, spreading panic among people. “Last night was peaceful and we hope the ceasefire between India and Pakistan holds and they resolve their issues through talks,” said a Srinagar resident, Mehraj-ud-Din.
People in J&K welcomed the ceasefire. “We pray that the ceasefire holds and there is everlasting peace in Jammu and Kashmir. War is never a solution, and nobody dislikes peace,” said Syed Mustafa, a resident of the border area of Uri.
Life has begun to return to normalcy in Uri.
Uri was worst hit by Pakistani troops’ shelling since the escalation of tension between India and Pakistan after India launched Operation Sindoor to target militant infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK.
A woman was killed and 14 others injured while over 100 houses and structures have been damaged in the Pakistani troops’ mortar and artillery shelling in the last five days.
“It was for the first time that there was no shelling during the night,” said Mustafa, a resident of Uri’s Paranpeel village, where shells had landed yesterday morning.
Mustafa’s sister’s two-storey concrete house in the village was damaged yesterday in Pakistani troops’ shelling.
The shops in the main Uri market have begun to open. The market in Uri was closed for the last few days due to continued Pakistani troops shelling, and most of the population had left the place and moved to safer places.
“Now that the border ceasefire is holding, there is a semblance of normalcy. The shops are open and people will also begin returning to their homes,” said Abdul Qayoom Ganai of Uri town.
He said only a handful of people had stayed back in Uri and the border area with about 10,000 people was deserted. “Now the hustle and bustle will again return to Uri market as people will slowly begin returning to their homes,” he said.
The locals in the border districts of Poonch and Rajouri said there was no shelling from the Pakistani side during the night and they spent a peaceful night after nearly a week.
“We pray that the ceasefire holds,” said Abdul Ahad, a resident of Poonch town who has moved to a safer place.
The Poonch and Rajouri districts had been worst hit by the Pakistani troops’ shelling, and only yesterday six persons, including a government official, an army JCO and a BSF Sub Inspector, were killed in Pakistani troops’ shelling.
At least 24 persons were killed in Pakistani troops’ mortar and artillery shelling along the border areas in J&K since India launched “Operation Sindoor”.
