Loud Cries and Splintered Glass During Shelling in Pakistan

A Tale of Terror: Poonch and the Fiery Border

In the quiet of the night, the peace of Poonch, a town in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, was shattered by the relentless roar of artillery. Resident, Choudhary, 29, shared his harrowing experience with AFP: "I saw two little souls dashing out from their neighbor's house. I yelled for them to return inside, but fate had other plans," he lamented, his voice heavy with sorrow. Tragically, the shrapnel struck the children, and they succumbed to their injuries. Choudhary's sister remained too distraught to share her story.

This tragic event happened merely hours after India retaliated to a deadly attack on April 22, which had claimed the lives of 26 people. The attack, which India blamed on Pakistan, led to a violent barrage that claimed a total of 16 lives and injured numerous others. Pakistan, on the other hand, reported that their 31 civilians have been killed as a result of the Indian strikes and firing along the border.

The town was left reeling, with its residents petrified in the lengthy hours of shelling that started in the dead of the night. One resident, Shariyar Ali, 25, a student, shared his chilling account: "A shell fell... It was right next to our house where we were. It fell and we panicked... a glass window shattered." Like many others, Ali and his family fled their home and took refuge 30 kilometers away in Surankote.

Residents like Kumail Nadeem, 25, another student, shared his unsettling experience: "The shelling around my home caused many casualties." Zaheer Ahmed Banday, 30, a shopkeeper, had a more personal connection: "When they hit the city, that was unexpected. I picked up a shirt and trousers, phone, and charger, and left the house as is."

Despite the deserted streets, some residents chose to remain in the city. Businessman Arvinder Pal Singh, 40, echoed their sentiments: "Where can we go? We spent the night huddled on the ground floor of our house. We haven't seen this fear and shelling like this – ever."

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pledged to "avenge each drop of the blood" of those killed by India's strikes. The fear and uncertainty touched everyone, as Sohail Sarwar, 30, a shopkeeper in Surankote, expressed: "Everyone is afraid."

This tension-filled history between India and Pakistan dates back to British rule in 1947, when artificial borders divided communities. The Muslim-majority Kashmir, contested by both nations, has long been a flashpoint, and for the younger generations, the violence has never been more intense. Kumail Nadeem, 25, whose life has now been forever marked by the deployment of artillery, lamented, "I have never seen such intense shelling in my lifetime. It is something my parents used to tell us about – but it is something completely new for us."

75-year-old Iqbal Singh, a tailor in Poonch, remained the only active business owner in the market, in the shadow of a Sikh temple that had been damaged in the shelling. "I've lived through 1965, 1971, 1999 wars and everything in between. This is just another episode. It's okay," he shrugged, perfectly encapsulating the weary resolve of the people of Poonch. "It too shall pass."

Enrichment Data:

The recent events in Poonch are part of a long-standing conflict between India and Pakistan, which intensified when India conducted missile strikes on Pakistan known as Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025. This operation followed a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir that killed 28 civilians on April 22. The shelling on Poonch, which resulted in casualties and damage to civilian areas, was Pakistan's response to India's offensive. The volatile Kashmir region has long been a flashpoint due to its contested status by both India and Pakistan. The shelling is the worst that the younger generation has witnessed, fueling fear and uncertainty among the population.

The tragic death of the two children in Poonch, India, was a result of the disputed war-and-conflicts between India and Pakistan.
Choudhary, a resident of Poonch, voiced his distress over the panicked scene during the bombardment, while his sister remained too distraught to share her story.
Politicians and residents expressed their concerns amid the crime-and-justice issues arising from the escalating general-news of violence in Poonch.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Indian businessman Arvinder Pal Singh both demonstrated their apprehension toward the ongoing conflict, with Sharif vowing to "avenge each drop of the blood" and Singh questions whether they can escape the violence.
The recent shelling in Poonch marks a grim chapter in a long history of disputed territories between India and Pakistan, particularly in the Muslim-majority Kashmir region, which has intensified with each generation.