Uneasy calm prevails on International Border in Jammu

Jammu: An uneasy calm prevailed on Sunday on the International Border (IB) in Jammu districts as authorities said that there were no cross-border firing or shelling during the last 24 hours.

Although majority of border residents continued to live in their homes despite the heightened tension, over 12,000 people living in villages of Akhnoor and Khour have migrated to safer places.

District authorities in Kathua and Samba said residents of border villages also migrated.

Villagers in Pallanwalla area of Akhnoor said Pakistani troops were directly targeting civilians and agricultural fields laden with ripe crop through mortar shelling.

Many villagers abandoning their cattle and agricultural fields said if they were not able to reap vegetable and other crops during the next 10 days because of heightened tensions they would be losing an entire year’s earning.

Official sources said all educational institutions in border villages of Jammu, Samba and Kathua would remain closed till further orders.