Poonch, Aug 26: It was not less than Eid celebrations for around 244 families of Kerni village along the Line of Control, who returned their homes after ten years in this border district.
Though the return for the border villagers, dislocated due to heightened tension between India and Pakistan army in 2001, started in February this year the process is to be completed in 6 phases. Official sources said that 244 villagers returned home today in the second phase. Earlier 12 families had returned home. Member Legislative Assembly Poonch Aijaz Jan, Commander 93 Bragaid of army Shri Niwasan, DC Poonch Ajeet Kumar Sahu and SP Ashkoor Wani were present on the occasion. People started returning home after the authorities analyzed the situation and established there is not likely to be any problem, and official told Greater Kashmir. He said that the border was by and large calm and it was felt that the villager be permitted to return back. Around fourteen hamlets located on the Line of Control were shifted to safer areas in Poonch sector in view of security constraints, continued Pakistani shelling and firing, in 2001 These hamlets along LoC are located on the zero line and ahead of Army posts and defence setup in Poonch district. The villagers were living in make shift tented camps from the last ten years after their dislocation. “We celebrated Eid on Juma-tulvida”, a local resident Ghulam Ahmed said adding, “I am at the last stage of my life and I had almost given up hope that I would be able to use my own house and land in my life time again”.
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