1971 KARGIL WAR
By AJAZ ALI
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a military confrontation between India and Pakistan that occurred during the liberation war in East Pakistan from 3 December 1971 to the fall of Dacca (Dhaka) on 16 December 1971. The war began with preemptive aerial strikes on 11 Indian air stations, that led to the commencement of hostilities with Pakistan and Indian entry into the war of independence in East Pakistan on the side of Bengali nationalist forces.
A short view on Kargil site
The 1971 Kargil war somehow unforgettable for some families as it has affected very badly to them, they became shelterless and have lost their beloved family members etc.
There is a village named as karkit, Karkit is named for budgam before 1947 later it has changed to budgam. . the village has two part one is in India and the other part is in Pakistan. the village has an area k/a 26 posts after 1947 Indian army set their camp there and to the nearby side, there was Pakistani army also. Later in 1965 a war had been waged between each other and this divided the village karkit into two-part but after 1971 war whole of the village comes under India. Before 1965 whole budgam was a colossal village and people used to go Kashmir on horses to fetch ration, other essential commodities.
BEFORE 1947 it was under Maharaja Hari Singh rule. The life story of the village was something interesting as people from both the sides used to marry insitu.
1965 has not affected much to the area, but 1971 effected more. Before 1971 they used to live together but 1971 divided them because some of them used to go for work but later they didn’t return. some people used to go there(pak side) by foot for about 2 hours for trade. A Village named as Boling comes first from pak side just behind karkit at a distance of 40 km and is around 200kms far from Gilgit Baltistan.some family lost property which was their main sources of income at border and army set their post at their fields and but managed life with cattle farming and other pastoral activities. The 1971 war has affected also, disturbed us the daily gun, bombs sound etc. Indian army has set their post there.
To visit Pak site village first we need to need to go Delhi to get the visa and from there we have to go there by travelling thousands of KMS but if they allow us to go from Karkit village side it might take just 2 hour to reach another side.
Impact of the 1971 Kargil war over village KARKIT
After the whole karkit village comes under India, but on the other hand Young people left there and almost few among them almost dead. Connectivity was blocked later by Indian govt after 1971, first, there was letter system. Later greeting via phone but India blocked the outgoing and need to wait for their call as incoming is active.
the war-affected lots, the families of Karkit(currently BUDGAM) lost many things, around 20 wives became widows and most of the men lost their wives, around 15 children became orphan, lost cattle-rearing area to other side and fields at the border.
The wars were dreadful to them.
In nutshell, the war ruined the lives of people in the market village.
I wish govt will bring the lost family together by opening border area.