Nosheen Khawaja Life in the picturesque Leepa Valley is gradually returning to normal, but people still bear the scars of decades of brutal, conflict-ridden years. The valley, with a population of 50,000, is located along the heavily militarized Line of Control, a de facto border that divides the region of Kashmir between India and Pakistan. Once the scene of furious artillery duels between the two armies, Leepa Valley has been enjoying peace dividends since 2021, when Pakistan and India agreed to adhere to the 2003 ceasefire.
The peace along the Line of Control has made it possible for the Pakistan Army to organize a festival in the valley aimed at promoting tourism in the region, which will help people earn a livelihood, as they have suffered economic and human losses during the conflict. In the festival, traditional local games such as skeet shooting, drum beating, tug of war, and regional songs, were showcased to entertain guests from the area and different parts of Azad Kashmir. Life in the Leepa Valley is improving after years of conflict.
A local school teacher, Hina Ashraf, said, “People grow crops and rear cattle. There is hustle and bustle in the markets, business activities are back to normal, children go to school, and the local administration is functioning normally, which remained almost defunct during the tension along the Line of Control. The roads remain open, which otherwise would remain shut due to shelling from Indian forces or snowfall during winter.
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