MUZAFFARABAD: Around 200 families affected by Indian shelling from across the Line of Control (LoC) in Bhimber district of Azad Jammu and Kashmir have left their homes in vulnerable areas to take refuge in safe places.

Divisional Commissioner Raja Amjad Pervaiz said displacements had taken place from Balewal and Khairowal villages of the Chhamb (Iftikharabad) sector of Barnala tehsil.

On Tuesday, there was intermittent shelling from morning to afternoon, but no casualties were reported, he said.

On Sunday, seven Pakistani soldiers were killed in Indian shelling in Patni (Thub) village of Barnala tehsil.

However, the official said that most of the displacements had taken place from the surroundings of Munawwar, located towards the extreme south of the tehsil, where the River Tavi serves as the LoC.

He said most of the people had moved to their relatives in safe areas and the administration had to take care of only 32 families comprising 178 members.

“These families have been temporarily accommodated in the buildings of three educational institutions in Moyel village, but in order to avoid the educational loss of students, we have set up two tent villages, having 25 tents each, in close proximity to each other to relocate them there on Wednesday,” he said.

He said a facilitation office and a dispensary would also be set up in one of the camps.

The commissioner, who spoke to Dawn on his way back from Barnala, said it was for the second time during the current spell of tension that these families had to quit their homes.

Earlier, they had returned to their homes after apparent restoration of normality.

Meanwhile, the AJK government has resolved to take all possible steps for the rehabilitation of people affected by the Indian shelling.

Not only would financial support be extended to dependants of the deceased and the injured, but steps would also be taken to compensate their losses, the AJK government decided at a meeting presided over by Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider. The meeting was attended by federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs Chaudhry Barjees Tahir and the government functionaries concerned.

Published in Dawn November 16th, 2016