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No shelling by Pak army since ceasefire

The Pakistan Army appears to have responded, though without many any announcement, to the unilateral ceasefire declared by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee during the Islamic holy month of Ramzan.

There has been not a single incident of shelling from the Pakistani side since the cease-fire came into effect on Tuesday, Srinagar daily Kashmir Monitor reported on Friday quoting official sources. It says the cease-fire has brought much relief to the border residents who were the worst hit by the cross-border shelling, forcing many of them to migrate to safer places in the past.

The daily said parts of the Kashmir valley bordering Pakistan, for the first time since last year's Kargil war, witnessed near-total calm with guns on both sides falling silent.

"We have not witnessed shelling from across the border since Tuesday, the day when the unilateral ceasefire came into force," Deputy Inspector General of Police, in charge of Baramulla and Kupwara districts, Dilbagh Singh told the newspaper.

Shelling in the northern sectors of Jammu and Kashmir, including Uri, Gurez, Nowgam in Baramulla, Keran, Karah, Teetwal, Tangdhar and Machil in Kupwara, had till recently been a routine affair since the eruption of militancy in the Kashmir valley, eleven years ago.

The shelling had intensified after last year's Kargil war causing deaths, injury and large-scale destruction of civilian property during the last one year.

Residents of the border villages are all praise for the Prime Minister for taking such a bold decision.

"It is a right decision on the part of Vajpayee and only such type of bold initiatives will bring the two neighbours closer to each other. Our misery will also come to an end," village numberdar of Garkote Ghulam Muhammad Bajad said.

He said: "We have witnessed calm for the last few days. The unabated shelling till recently had made our lives miserable."

"We were afraid of venturing out of our houses, fearing the shells," he said, adding "We have got a breather since the ceasefire came into effect."

"We hope better sense will prevail upon Pakistan and the shelling will stop for ever," the people of the village said.

Officials point out that the Pakistani troops usually shell Indian positions to give fire cover to armed militants sneaking into J&K. Absence of shelling indicates that the militants were no longer making an attempt to cross the border.

Troops on the borders had instructions not to retaliate to Pakistani shelling until it becomes essential for self-defence, sources said.

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J&K ceasefire

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