The Night Kashmir Stood Still
It was the darkest hour before dawn.
The sky, a heavy blanket of black, gave no hint of the devastation about to unfold.
In the remote village of Kotli, near the Line of Control (LoC), families were deep in prayer. Children slept soundly beside their mothers. The air was still, sacred, almost peaceful. Then, without warning, the first shell tore through the night sky.
The explosion shattered the valley’s silence. The mountains trembled. Every heart froze.
In seconds, the night turned to chaos — flames, smoke, and screams echoing through the hills.
Mothers clutched their children. Fathers ran barefoot over stones, desperate to find cover. The air became thick with smoke and fear, choking the cries of those calling out:
“Ya Allah, protect us…”
For those living here, this is not a headline on a newsfeed.
This is their daily reality.
It is the sound of their roof collapsing, the sight of their livestock burning, the feeling of dust settling where a home once stood.
Kotli’s Night of Horror
That night, heavy shelling rained down without mercy.
The Line of Control — a fragile border separating two armies — became a front line once again. As artillery lit the sky, the people of Kotli found themselves trapped between fire and faith.
They were not soldiers. They were families.
They were women who had prepared the night’s last prayer, children who had never known peace, elders who had lived through war after war but still hoped for dawn.
Each explosion was a cruel reminder: in this conflict, it is the innocent who suffer most.
Ayaan’s Story: A Childhood Lost to War
Eight-year-old Ayaan had just learned how to write his name.
He lived in a small mud-brick home perched on a hilltop overlooking the valley. His days were simple — helping his mother gather water, playing with his sister beneath the old fig tree, running barefoot through the grass before evening prayers.
That night, his world changed forever.
When the shelling began, Ayaan’s family ran behind their house, crouching in a shallow ditch for cover. His father held him close as shells whistled overhead. But one landed too near.
The blast hurled Ayaan across the dirt.
His mother’s screams pierced the smoke as she crawled towards him, her hands trembling as she saw his small body bleeding.
A gash crossed his head. His leg was shattered.
Ayaan now lies in a hospital bed in Rawalakot, attached to machines that beep in rhythm with his weak heartbeat. His dreams are no longer of climbing trees.
He dreams only of walking again.
His mother, sitting beside him, whispers prayers:
“When will it end? When will my children sleep without fear?”
The Human Cost of the Line of Control
The LoC — meant to divide — has instead become a line of endless suffering. Villages like Kotli, Neelum, and Tatta Pani are caught in the crossfire every few months. Civilians lose homes, livestock, and sometimes their lives, all within moments.
Kashmir’s children have grown up under skies that roar with gunfire.
Many have never known what peace sounds like.
The Kashmir Welfare Foundation teams on the ground describe a region where fear lingers even in silence — where families bury their loved ones at night to avoid more shelling.
Every time the world looks away, the suffering deepens.
“Kashmiri Lives Matter” – Abdul Basit Speaks
“We are shocked and deeply saddened by the brutal attacks on Kashmir. This land is not a playground for politics or power. Kashmiri lives matter, and their pain deserves the world’s attention.”
— Abdul Basit, Chair of Kashmir Welfare Foundation
These words echo through every valley, every broken home, and every hospital bed.
The message is simple: Kashmir is bleeding, but the world must not remain silent.
Faith Amid the Fire
Despite decades of hardship, Kashmiris hold fast to faith.
They believe in sabr — patience in adversity — and in rizq — that sustenance comes from Allah even in times of despair.
In every shattered home, you’ll find a mother whispering Bismillah before feeding her children with the little she has.
In every camp, a father gives thanks for a loaf of bread.
Their resilience is extraordinary.
Their faith unbreakable.
But faith alone cannot rebuild homes, treat wounds, or feed the hungry.
That’s where you come in.
Standing for Humanity: Our Emergency Response
When the first reports of shelling reached us, Kashmir Welfare Foundation immediately activated its Emergency Response Budget — a rapid-action fund created precisely for moments like this.
Our teams are now working tirelessly to deliver emergency relief where it’s needed most.
Here’s what your donation helps provide right now:
- Field Hospitals – Temporary medical units treating the injured and saving lives in frontline villages.
- Hot Meals & Water – Distributed to families who have lost everything overnight.
- Emergency Food Packs – One pack sustains a family of five for an entire month.
- Blankets & Shelter Materials – Protecting the displaced from cold nights in the mountains.
- Psychosocial Support – Helping children like Ayaan cope with the trauma of conflict.
Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a real difference on the ground.
Because when hesitation costs lives, action becomes worship.
Your Support Can Save Lives
A single donation can bring hope to a family standing amid rubble.
It can give a child medicine, a widow warmth, and a displaced family food for the month.
Kashmir Welfare Foundation operates with transparency and compassion. Every penny you give goes directly into our Emergency Relief Fund, helping those in greatest need.
Be the light in Kashmir’s darkest hour.
Donate to the Kashmir LOC Appeal and help us deliver life-saving aid where it’s needed most.
Donate towards the Kashmir LOC Appeal. Donate General Sadaqah. Or participate in Regular Giving for our relief work.
Hope in the Ashes
At dawn, when the shelling finally stopped, sunlight revealed a scene of heartbreak.
Homes reduced to rubble.
Smoke rising from what once were kitchens and courtyards.
And in the dust — tiny footprints — the last traces of children who once played freely.
But amid the ruin, life continues.
Neighbours share bread. Volunteers rebuild walls. The adhan still echoes across the valleys, calling believers to prayer.
This is the spirit of Kashmir — enduring, faithful, and proud.
And with your help, it will rise again.
Together, We Can Rebuild
When you give to Kashmir Welfare Foundation, you are not just donating.
You are standing shoulder to shoulder with families who refuse to surrender to despair.
You are sending a message to the world:
Kashmir is not forgotten.
Kashmiri lives matter.
And humanity still exists.
Final Call to Action
Right now, our emergency teams are on the ground — but supplies are running low.
Each minute counts.
🌿 Donate now to the Kashmir LOC Appeal and help save lives.
Together, we can turn this night of horror into a dawn of hope.
Donate towards the Kashmir LOC Appeal. Donate General Sadaqah. Or participate in Regular Giving for our relief work.
Kashmir LOC Appeal and Emergency Relief
1. What is the Kashmir LOC Appeal?
The Kashmir LOC Appeal is Kashmir Welfare Foundation’s emergency campaign to deliver life-saving aid to families affected by cross-border shelling and violence near the Line of Control.
2. How are donations used?
Funds are used for emergency medical care, food packs, shelter, and trauma support for families directly impacted by LoC conflict zones.
3. Can UK donors claim Gift Aid?
Yes. UK taxpayers can increase their donation by 25% at no extra cost through the HMRC Gift Aid scheme, helping even more families.
4. Are Kashmir Welfare Foundation teams active in conflict areas?
Yes. Our field partners operate safely and responsibly, delivering aid in Kotli, Neelum, and other LoC-affected regions.
5. What other ways can I help besides donating?
You can raise awareness, make regular monthly contributions, or sponsor food packs to sustain families long after the crisis passes.
