SIALKOT: The people living in border villages are in high spirits after the ‘unprovoked shelling’ on Oct 21 and 22 by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) in Bajwat, Chaprar and Shakargarh sectors along the Working Boundary here.

Senior local journalists visited the shelling-hit border villages of Chaprar, Banoot, Rangpur Jattan, Nandpur, Suragpur, Malaaney, Tool, Maadipur, Thathi in Chaprar sector and found locals, including women, children and the elderly, all displaying a spirit of patriotism and standing by their nation.

All government and private schools were opened as per routine. The locals said: “The BSF has tried to terrify us by firing at our villages and targeting civilian population. We are peace lovers and want durable peace around the globe, thus we are not afraid of any Indian shelling here.”

Residents say willing to face any situation, determined to stay in homes

Men and women were seen working in fields and grazing cattle. Several farmers were busy harvesting and threshing the standing paddy crop.

Sufi Muhammad Ishaq strongly condemned the BSF shelling targeting civilian population in border villages. He said the whole nation was ready to defend every inch of the motherland while standing with the armed forces.

Sakeena Bibi, 60, was found making dung cakes in her haveli at Jhumiyaan Gujjaraan village that was shelled by the BSF two days ago. Muhammad Iqbal, 48, was milking his cows in Salehpur village, Chaprar.

Villagers Mohsin Mali, Bashir Hussain, Nasir Malik, Ateeb Ali, Nageena Bibi, Allah Rakhi, Ghulam Hussain, Zeeshan Ahmed, Naseer Ahmed, Muhammad Akram said they were willing to face any situation and determined to stay in their homes.

“We are not afraid of Indian aggression and will provide full support to our army in handling the situation at the border along the Working Boundary.”

They said they had full faith in Pakistani troops who paid back to the Indian forces in the same coin after indiscriminate firing and shelling from the other side, which is an open violation of bilateral agreements and international laws.

Meanwhile, the BSF allegedly resorted to unprovoked firing again on the border villages in Chaprar sector along the Working Boundary on Sunday. This was the third day of Indian firing here.

According to senior officials of Punjab Rangers, the BSF started unprovoked firing on border villages of Nandpur, Rangpur Jattan, Salehpur, Malaaney, Thathi, Jhumiyaan and nearby villages in Chaprar sector at 6pm that continued until the filing of this report.

Senior Rangers officials added that the BSF was targeting civilian population in these areas with automatic weapons and light machine guns due to which several houses had been partially damaged.

They claimed the force was retaliating in a befitting manner. They confirmed that no loss of life or injury was reported from the latest shelling.

Published in Dawn October 24th, 2016