Peace, war, and conflict are all measured terms. The enemy state across the border is averse to the term 'peace'. Why was the two nation theory propagated and accepted by the then leadership is the thing of the past now. What remains the reality is that Pakistan is a threat to peace in India.
It is true that when a part of the nation bleeds, the whole nation bleeds. When the Pakistan sponsored terrorists carried out ghastly and cowardly attack on tourists in Pahalgam on 22nd April, it shook the conscience of the nation. 26 people were killed out of which 25 were Indians and 1 was from Nepal. The fact is that the attack carried out by the terrorists was not indiscriminate. Hindus were targeted and killed. Why? Because they were Hindus. Because they could not recite Kalma. The motive behind this killing was as clear as the daylight. Every Indian was pained, angry, and was looking upto the government that we will avenge the killing of innocent civilians.
Indian response was eagerly awaited by every Indian that how are we going to avenge the killing of innocent civilians who were killed by terrorists in Pahalgam. On 7th May, 2025, the Indian Armed Forces carried out 'Operation Sindoor', the objective of which was to hit 9 terrorists infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. These terror sites acted as an ideological and training base for planning, preparation, and commission of terror activities in India. After India successfully hit all the 9 terror infrastructures, the Indian Armed Forced maintained the position that only terror infrastructures were targeted and that too, in focused, measured, precise, and calibrated manner. What it basically means is that no collateral damage in the form of civilians deaths were caused. We targeted only and only terror infrastructures. As the result, more than 100 terrorists were eliminated.
Since the Pakistani Military backs the terrorists in Pakistan, they decided to respond on their behalf and from the evening of 7th May to 10th May, the Pakistani Military violated ceasefire violations and indulged in indiscriminate firing and artillery shelling across Indian side of Border. As the result, civilians particularly in Pooch district of Jammu region were targeted, injured and killed. The actual number is not yet available as to how many civilians have actually been killed or injured as the result of ceasefire violations from Pakistan side.
As the result of repeated ceasefire violations and incessant and indiscriminate firing and artillery shelling from Pakistan side, the worst hit area has been Poonch of Jammu Division. So far the government has not provided any official numbers as to how many civilians have been killed or injured, but from Poonch itself, more than 20 people have reportedly been killed. What is more unfortunate is that the plight of people of Jammu, particularly of Border areas such as Poonch, remains underreported. Media houses have shown indifferent attitude towards the people of poonch and border areas who were worst affected as the result of firing and artillery shelling from Pakistan side.
Jist, a media portal, served as an exception when it did ground reporting and put in all the efforts to bring before the world the plight of people of Poonch who were killed or injured, whose houses were destroyed as the result of artillery shelling, and who were forced to flee. Following links can be accessed to know the reality from ground and to what extent people have suffered.
1) https://youtu.be/kxQcCE3Zon8?si=xfO8fQqufasgnVS6
2) https://youtu.be/zdoC6qdDD8E?si=Go0M0PFvkCmgOV2S
3) https://youtu.be/0hXJQMjV10g?si=SlnuUl5OeiXOJHrD
4) https://youtu.be/uatFVAryue8?si=Sq6eTjwfG88KlPqX
5) https://youtu.be/twsh3_B3dyU?si=8syLI8eGPWY8uo-r
The team of Jist have done a commendable job. This is something that was expected from Indian Media, in general, but unfortunately, they have failed the nation and the people of Poonch.
It raises certain questions. People of Poonch are asking if they will always have to pay the price. People of Poonch are asking are their plight not worthy enough of getting reported by National Media. People of Poonch are asking if Pakistan will ever pay the price for killing the innocent civilians in India.
Amidst all this, we, as a nation, and our armed forces maintained the position that our enemy are terrorists and we have hit them. We have no grudge against the people of Pakistan. But what did we get in return? Every time Pakistan tried to attack us, the targets were civilians, public infrastructures, and our airbases. They are clear in their ideational or foundational precepts of attack that leave no one, be it civilians in India. We have always been at war. The pause, in any form, is a call for war. India must end it, once and for all. A country the very existence of which is a threat to stability, normalcy, and peace in India or any part of the world for that matter, should cease to exist. We have hit them hard this time but it's not enough. We must be sympathetic towards people living in border states, particularly the people living in Poonch and the places near to the border. We must feel the pain when one life is lost there. We must be equally anguished when there houses are destroyed. We must make sure that Pakistan pay the heavy price for every lives lost.
Pakistan is like a half beaten snake. And it's in our backyard which is very close to our Jammu and Kashmir. Given its inherent nature, it will attack again. We have to make sure next time that civilians lives are not lost. Peace comes at a price and people of poonch must not pay the price for it.