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. This kind of festival was only possible because of peace, and such events should be held regularly to attract tourists to the region, which can help generate livelihoods.”
Most people in the valley depend on agriculture or cattle farming for a living. Many of them remained in the direct line of Indian fire until the conflict ended. Since the ceasefire, they have been picking up the pieces; many have rebuilt their houses.
“During times of conflict, people would stay indoors to avoid being targeted by Indian shelling and firing from across the Line of Control, which caused significant damage to agriculture and cattle farming. Now, people engage in agriculture and cattle rearing without fear,” said another resident, Muhammad Altaf.
The valley is bound on both sides by towering hills. From end to end, it offers scenic beauty, panoramic views, lush green forests, and enchanting streams.
Peace along the Line of Control has now turned it into an emerging destination of choice for domestic tourists, but their numbers are still few.
Residents say that the beauty of this area needs to be highlighted globally to attract more tourists, which will help improve the incomes of many households that currently sit at the bottom of the income ladder.
“This is a beautiful valley, but it is still hidden from the world. Army-sponsored festivals will help introduce this region nationally and internationally, turning it into a hot tourist destination,” said a resident, Muhammad Bashir.
Students from the University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir participated in the festival. They traveled for several hours to reach the Leepa Valley. Among them, Kashif Abbasi said that he enjoyed the traditional games and folk songs at the festival and that Leepa Valley is a very beautiful area. He said that such events allow tourists to come here and thus promote tourism in the region.
“I could not think of coming here, even being a resident of Azad Kashmir, because of the conflict. Now I come here without fear,” he said.
The end of hostilities has also revived traditional games and sports that had been forgotten by an entire generation of residents in this Valley.
“We could not imagine playing local games during the conflict. Now, such festivals help to revive these traditional games, and people also play them at weddings as they did in the past before the conflict,” said another local resident, Abdul Ghani, who attended the festival.
Life was simple, and subsistence was easy in Leepa Valley until 1989 when the beginning of an armed separatist struggle in Indian Kashmir set the stage for ruthless border shelling that went on intermittently for almost three decades.
Since all the main population centers of the valley were exposed to Indian positions on the opposite hills, life here was completely shattered. Many civilians lost their lives or were injured and maimed. Numerous houses and government buildings, including schools and hospitals, were flattened. For a decade, most people spent a major part of their days and nights in bunkers.
“As the conflict prolonged, it caused severe mental and physical effects on children, women, and the elderly. The conflict also deprived a generation of proper education and a normal upbringing,” said a local teacher Nazir Ahmed.
He continued, “Cross-border fire brought traffic to a halt on the only road connecting Leepa Valley to the outside world, and it stayed that way for decades. Additionally, snowfall would keep the road closed for several months each year, increasing hardships for the people. Now, there is peace, road conditions have improved, and people are picking up the pieces of their lives.”
At the event, a woman named Iman Fatima said that she is grateful to the army for organizing such a festival in Leepa Valley. She said, “Organizing a festival here was very difficult, but it was successful. It is very important to promote such activities.”
General Commanding Officer (GOC) Chinar Division Major General Muhammad Irfan, speaking at the conclusion of the festival, said that it was difficult to describe the hardships that the people of Leepa have endured in the past.
He mentioned that only the local people or the young soldiers of the Pakistan Army deployed here could truly understand the situation they faced.
He said, “The bond between the Pakistan Army and the people of Leepa is as strong as the bond between Kashmir and Pakistan.”
He acknowledged their sacrifices and stated that the Pakistan Army would play a significant role in the development of this area. He said, “the purpose of conducting such festivals is to introduce this area, promote tourism, and generate livelihoods for local people.”
The story of Leepa Valley is one of resilience, renewal, and hope. Despite the scars of conflict, peace has brought a new dawn of prosperity and cultural resurgence. Through festivals, tourism promotion, and community resilience, Leepa Valley stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of its people.
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