India-Pakistan ceasefire: Nowshera residents suffer as Pakistani shelling hits civilian areas

The border districts of Jammu and Kashmir witnessed intense shelling by Pakistan recently, leading to damage to their residential structures, after India launched Operation Sindoor in response to the terror attack in Pahalgam. 

The locals residing in the border villages have demanded that the government compensate them for the damaged houses. They also urge the Indian government "not to spare Pakistan" for its misadventures. 

Vijay Kumar, a local from a village in Nowshera, said that his entire life savings were spent on building the house, which has been damaged due to shelling by Pakistan. 

"I am retired from the army, and we are three brothers who built our houses together. The shelling happened in 2002, 2004, and 2005. However, we never left our house because of it. This is the first time we have had to flee. Otherwise, we would have all died," Kumar told ANI. 
He said that the government must compensate those who have suffered damages to their houses in the village, inflicted due to shelling by Pakistan. 

"The entire savings of our lives went into constructing the house, which has gone to waste. However, I am glad that our lives are saved. There is no point announcing a 'ceasefire' since Pakistan will not learn. It will target people here. In our village, six to seven houses have been destroyed. They should be compensated," Kumar added.

The mother of the retired Army jawan said, "We suffered a huge loss. I have children. My husband passed away three months ago. We urged for the bunkers, but nobody thought about it. My children have no jobs, and on top of that, everything they built has been destroyed."

Dharamveer Sharma, a resident of the same village, talked about constant shelling, which happened in the early morning, and said that the government should not spare Pakistan. 

"The shelling occurred around 5:00 AM, and yahan 50 gole pade hain (we have witnessed shelling nearly 50 times). The entire neighbourhood has suffered losses. We appeal to the government not to spare Pakistan," he added. 

In the early hours of May 7, the Indian Armed Forces conducted strikes at nine terror hideouts in the deep areas of Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) under the 'Operation Sindoor' in response to the Pahalgam terror attack.