AJK villagers hail ceasefire

SALOHI, AJK: Pakistani villagers living on one of the world’s most militarised frontiers in the disputed Kashmir region Monday hailed a two-month-long cease-fire between nuclear rivals Pakistan and India, foreign media reported.

But residents also demanded a solution to the decades-old issue of Kashmir and a durable peace for the Himalayan region.

Villagers spoke with journalists who were taken to Salohi village in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) by the Pakistan Army. The visit came two months after the Pakistani and Indian armies pledged to halt cross-border fighting and adhere to a 2003 accord that has been largely ignored in Kashmir.

Since February’s landmark announcement, the cease-fire has been holding. It has enabled residents to freely harvest crops, do their business and move around in the region.

“We are happy because of this ceasefire but we also want to see a permanent solution to the Kashmir problem,” said farmer Mohammad Razaq.

Standing beside him, villager Afzal Ahmed suggested the resumption of peace talks between Pakistan and India but he said Kashmiris should be included in any discussions. He said they have spent most of their lives in fear of war.