Akhnoor (J&K), May 09: For thousands of border migrants, fresh Indo-Pak initiative for bilateral peace talks has brought a new hope for the return to their homes located at handshaking distance from Pakistan. "The hope, which had been dashed after the failure of Agra summit, has been renewed", 52-year-old border migrant, Subash Chander of Devipur camp said here today.
Chander, who is living in 60,000 populated Devipur migrant camp after leaving his home in 1998 due to heavy Pak shelling in village Budwar, just 200 meters away from Line of Control (LoC) in demographically sensitive Pallanwala sector, said, "We pray for the success of bilateral talks."
Like him, Ranoo Devi, mother of five children, who lost her husband in Pak shelling in 1999 still wants to return to her village Jamanbela. "We want to live in peace in our own homes and re-start our farming activities," she says.


The border people, numbering 1.2 lakh, who migrated from their homes in view of Indo-Pak conflict, urge Indo-Pak leaders particularly Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf to make these peace talks a success, border migrant camp leader, Shamsher Singh said.
Bureau Report