The Hindu : PoK refugees look forward to opening of border

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 30, 2003

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PoK refugees look forward to opening of border

By Our Staff Reporter

Jammu Dec. 29. The proposal of the Jammu and Kashmir Government for the up-gradation of the Muzaffarabad-Uri road has brought cheer to the refugees of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) living here for the last 55 years.

With the proposal seeming to take concrete shape, the mood among the older generation refugees is upbeat, as the thought of visiting their native lands, which they had quit in the tribal raid in 1947, seems possible.

About 99 per cent of these refugees who crossed the Line of Control settled down in different parts of Jammu region.They have formed associations, which are organising meets and the message to the younger generation of refugees and to the co-ethnic Muslims across the LoC is peace and respect for the history which tied the two communities together for centuries.

At a meeting of POK refugees recently, the older generation left the audience in tears with their narration.

In 1947-48 when thousands of Afridi tribals of the North West Frontier Province attacked the present capital of PoK — Muzaffarabad — more than one lakh people fled the area.

The younger generation was told about the sacrifices of POK Muslims in the troubled winter of 1947 when they saved the lives of Hindus at several places.

The most prominent was the role of Master Abdul Aziz, a National Conference worker, who sacrificed his life and saved Hindu families from the fury of the mobs.

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