Chakan-da-bagh (Line of Control): A distance of five kilometres separates Peer Nissar Hussian Shah from his family living in Abbaspur in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Twenty-one people in the area died in the October 8 earthquake. A month has passed but the two families, separated by the Line of Control, are yet to exchange information and news of the loss of relatives came through their relatives living in the Gulf countries.

For the second consecutive day on Tuesday Indian relief material entered PoK. Fifteen trucks of Indian relief material were distributed to the PoK authorities for distribution among the quake victims. On Monday, when the point was opened for movement of goods, the entire relief material could not be sent. On Tuesday, the relief process was completed in three hours as army commanders monitored the transfer of goods. The Pakistan Army was out in full force to prevent any more attempts by people to cross over to the Indian side.

Emotional upsurge

It is not difficult to understand the reasons for the emotional upsurge seen on Monday as teargas shells were fired to disperse crowds from PoK who tried to break the Pakistan Army cordon and cross over to the Indian side.

The Pahari and Gujjar families who have been divided by the LoC all tell stories of pain. Mohammad Taj and his wife have been going to Khari, the last village on the LoC, every day since the quake with the faint of hope of meeting their relatives in Abbaspur just across the LoC. But the jawans tell them that there is no permission for the reunion of families yet.

Deputy Commissioner, Rawalakot, Sardar Mohammad Farooq told The Hindu that there was a long queue of people in front of his office everyday wanting to get application forms to travel across the LoC.

Chance reunions

On Monday, there were unexpected reunions between people who had come to the LoC, even though there was no official permission for the meeting of people.

Jehangir Abbas Khan, a resident of Abbaspur, PoK, had come to the LoC as a volunteer. He met his cousin Mohammad Abbas Khan, an advocate from the Indian side, who had also come here as a volunteer. They were meeting after 34 years. Jehnagir said, "I never knew we would meet this way. This certainly is the most important day of my life." Naem Khan, a doctor in the PoK Government, met his nephew, Kifayat Hussain. He said, "I had just heard about my nephew but had never met him. For me, this a big day."

Farooq Shah, another PoK official, met his cousin Ibrar after almost 20 years. He said, "The last time our families met was through the Wagah border. This was a dream come true as we are meeting along the Line of Control."

Many people asked the Indian officials for information about their relatives.

Akram, a constable in the PoK Government, wanted to know of the condition of the graveyard of his father, who is buried on the Indian side.

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