Border villagers in India express apprehension of potential conflict with Pakistan
Rewritten Article:
In the heart of India's Punjab state, the recent tensions between India and Pakistan have stirred up memories of past conflicts and a sense of anxiety among residents near the disputed border. Hardev, a local, reminisces about the worst outbreaks of fighting between the neighbors during 1999 and 1971, years that witnessed mass displacements, targeted atrocities, and significant impact on daily life.
During these periods, women, children, cattle, and most younger men were compelled to seek refuge in safe shelters. In an informal chat, Hardev shared that they were unable to work in their fields due to ongoing hostilities. Only the elderly men braved the situation, staying behind to protect their homes from looting.
The roots of the current hostility can be traced back to an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22, which India accused Pakistan of backing. Pakistan has rejected the charge, and the situation has escalated, with both countries exchanging gunfire, diplomatic barbs, and expelling citizens. The border has also been shut.
At the moment, life in these border villages appears unchanged. Yet, residents cannot shake off a growing sense of apprehension, knowing that tensions could escalate in the coming weeks.
"The attack was a tragic event, but we can't turn back the clock on lost lives," Hardev stated, echoing the thoughts of many. "Any war would set both our countries back significantly, leading to greater losses of human life."
A fence patrolled by troops divides the farmlands near Daoke, home to around 1,500 people. Gurvinder Singh, a 38-year-old resident, shares his recollection of the last significant conflict in 1999. While the fighting took place far from Punjab, in Kargil, the sun-baked fields around Daoke were not spared. Mines were planted on the fields, effectively taking away the villagers' chance to work.
Gurvinder prays that, if the bitter words exchanged by politicians turn into military action, his village will be left untouched. "We believe that the actual conflict will happen only in the Himalayas," he said optimistically. "For now, our village is normal."
In nearby Rajatal, memories of a peaceful past coexist with the physical barrier of the fence topped with barbed wire. Before the fence was erected, farmers from both sides used to graze their cattle on the open ground. Now, they are restricted by fear and military escort.
A Sikh elder, Sardar Lakha Singh, who possesses a memory that stretches back before the fence, advises his fellow villagers to remain calm. "Whatever is going to happen, will happen anyway," he says, recalling how unforeseen wars erupted in the past. "So, there is no need to worry in advance."
Gurvinder Singh, a farmer in his mid-30s, tries to find comfort in this wisdom. "It would be a war of high technology, not a battle of swords like in the past", he ponders. "When the situation worsens, it will impact the entire country, not just our village."
As the two nuclear-armed nations stand on the brink of another potential military clash, the stories and memories of border residents like Hardev, Gurvinder, and Sardar Lakha serve as a stark reminder of the cost of unresolved tensions.
© 2025 AFP
Enrichment Data:
The 1971 conflict between India and Pakistan, known as the Bangladesh Liberation War, saw over 10 million refugees, mostly Hindus, flee to India from East Pakistan, leading to mass displacement and dire humanitarian conditions in border villages. Pakistani forces targeted Hindu-majority villages with systematic atrocities such as massacres and home demolitions. In contrast, the 1999 Kargil War caused mainly localized disruption, including temporary evacuations for villagers near the Line of Control, shelling damage to homes and critical roads, and civilian casualties due to accidental strikes.
- The deadliest periods in the past between India and Pakistan, such as the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War and the 1999 Kargil War, led to significant displacement of people, including women, children, and elderly, and caused considerable impact on daily life in border villages.
- During past conflicts, the elderly men in border villages often braved the situation, staying behind to protect their homes from looting while younger men and children had to seek refuge in safe shelters.
- The ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan, which have escalated due to an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that both countries are accused of backing, have added to the sense of apprehension and anxiety among residents living near the disputed border.
- Despite the ongoing tensions and growing sense of apprehension, residents in the affected villages are reminding themselves of past wars' high cost and hoping for a peaceful resolution, with a belief that the actual conflict may remain confined to the Himalayas.
