Jammu, May 26 (KNS): As many as 18 civilians lost their lives and around 2,000 structures, including homes and shops, were damaged in four days of indiscriminate shelling by the Pakistan Army along the borders in Jammu and Kashmir, the BJP said on Monday.
Leader of Opposition in the J&K Assembly, Sunil Sharma, who is also BJP’s general secretary, shared these details after completing a 10-day tour of the affected border areas along with four MLAs on the directions of the party’s central leadership. A detailed report with recommendations for rehabilitation has been submitted to the government.
“Pakistan resorted to cowardly shelling on civilian areas after our forces carried out Operation Sindoor on May 7 to dismantle terror infrastructure in response to the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22,” Sharma told reporters at the party headquarters here.
He said 14 civilians were killed in Poonch, two in Rajouri, and one each in Uri (Baramulla) and Jammu during the shelling. Additionally, nearly 1,500 to 2,000 structures — mostly homes — were damaged, along with losses to livestock and agriculture.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
Sharma said his team visited the affected areas including Hiranagar, Arnia, R S Pura, Akhnoor, Rajouri, Poonch, Uri, and Tangdhar. “Despite heavy losses, we found border residents proud of the Indian Army’s response. They expressed confidence in the government’s support,” he said.
He added that the Union Home Ministry has started constructing more underground bunkers for the safety of residents, and the process for rehabilitation has begun. The Centre has also announced one government job for the next of kin of each person killed in the shelling, with files for these cases already forwarded to the General Administration Department.
Sharma said that while the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) allows for Rs 1.20 lakh compensation for damaged structures, the BJP has recommended a special financial package in its report to help affected families rebuild their lives.
“The BJP stands firmly with the border residents and will ensure they receive all necessary support,” Sharma added. (KNS)