As India marks 12 years under the Modi government, families living along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir prayed for a historic change – to reunite with their loved ones on the other side of the border.
Locals from villages in the Poonch and Rajouri districts held special prayers and offered ‘chadar’ at the mosques and temples along the LoC, with a single wish – to be allowed to visit Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK), which they claim is their ancestral home.
The demand, which is not new but has gained momentum in recent times, reflects the deep emotional connection many families have with their roots across the border.
The Forgotten Families
Among the villagers who participated in the prayers was 65-year-old Ghulam Hassan, who lost his younger brother in the 1971 Indo-Pak war. Hassan’s village, Mendhar, was divided during the partition of India and Pakistan. Since then, families have been separated, with many unable to visit their loved ones on the other side.
‘We have been praying for 50 years, but our wish has never been fulfilled,’ Hassan said, his voice filled with emotion. ‘We just want to see our ancestral home and the graves of our loved ones.’
Stories like Hassan’s are common in the border villages of J&K. Families have lost track of their roots, and many have grown up with the dream of visiting their ancestral home, which lies just a few kilometers away.
The Government’s Response
The Modi government has been tight-lipped on the issue, with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stating that any decision on allowing Indians to visit PoK would require a ‘mutually agreeable solution’ with Pakistan.
However, the MEA has also made it clear that the government is committed to helping J&K residents who are stranded in PoK. In 2020, the MEA launched a ‘stranded persons’ scheme, which aims to facilitate the return of J&K residents stranded in Pakistan.
Despite the government’s efforts, many families remain skeptical about the scheme’s efficacy. ‘We don’t want any aid or compensation; we just want to visit our ancestral home,’ said Hassan.
The Way Forward
As India continues to mark the Modi government’s 12-year milestone, the demand for access to PoK remains a pressing issue. While the government has made some efforts to help stranded residents, much more needs to be done to address the emotional and psychological trauma of families separated by the border.
The situation on the ground requires a more nuanced approach, one that prioritizes the rights of families like Hassan’s to visit their ancestral home. Only then can the wounds of the past begin to heal, and the dream of reunification become a reality.