SRINAGAR: The Indian Air Force (IAF) strikes deep inside Pakistan added to the existing tensions in Jammu and Kashmir particularly the Kashmir Valley with many people fearing a ‘catastrophic conflict’ breaking out between the two South Asian neighbours.
“I suddenly woke up in the dead of the night on hearing the warplanes roaring in the skies. Knowing about the growing tensions between India and Pakistan after the Pulwama attack, I thought war has broken out between the two countries,” said Srinagar resident Farooq Ahmed Darzi.
After a couple of hours when the warplanes were still flying in the Valley skies, Darzi relocated to a nearby mosque to offer the fajr (dawn) prayers and found almost all other worshippers petrified too. “I’ve seen wars before also and know what it means. We discussed the possible repercussions of war particularly for the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Nusrat Nazir Khan, a housewife, said “I was woken up by the noise of the warplanes flying in the Srinagar skies. I got up and rushed upstairs where my two daughters were sleeping. Next few hours were bloodcurdling. I heaved a sigh when I learnt through television what it was all about.”
Reports said that fresh tensions have erupted in the areas along the Line of Control (LoC) and Inte-rnational Border (IB) with Pakistan rather the border-dwellers being more worried than others. “The residents of the border areas are fearful of what will come next after the IAF action against the all-eged terror camps across the LoC and in Pakistan’s Balakot area,” said Tariq Hassan Abbasi, a resident of Uri over the phone.
Former chief minister and president of Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) while echoing the sentiment tweeted “Since Pakistan has claimed that no casualties were reported despite IAF violating LoC ,they should adopt a reconciliatory stand as opposed to further escalation. Or else, an already volatile situation will spiral out of control and as usual Kashmiris will be the biggest casualties.”
