A Cry from Tehjiyan, Neelum Valley
By Emaan Sharafat, Tehjiyan, Neelum Valley, Azad Kashmir
The Night Peace Was Shattered
The sun was just beginning to set behind the majestic peaks of Neelum Valley, casting a golden hue over our village of Tehjiyan. Children were playing in the courtyards, women preparing evening meals, and the elderly sitting on their verandas, whispering prayers for peace.
But as darkness fell upon us, electricity was cut off to hide the lights from the attackers, and within moments, everything changed.
The stillness of the valley shattered as the first shell thundered down — unprovoked, merciless. Indian millitary forces once again violated the Line of Control (LoC), targeting our peaceful villages without warning.
It wasn’t the first time.
It never is.
The earth trembled. Windows exploded. Mothers screamed. Children froze mid-laughter, now clinging to their parents in terror. Homes that had taken generations to build were reduced to rubble in seconds.
The air was thick with dust, smoke, and cries — cries that the world seems to have forgotten.
We are not soldiers. We are farmers, teachers, shopkeepers, and students. Our only weapon is hope — and even that now feels fragile.
Yesterday night, our skies lit not with stars but with fire. The shelling continued for hours. People fled their homes and hid in bunkers with whatever they could carry. Crops were destroyed, livestock killed. Several of our neighbours were injured — some critically.
As always, the Pakistan Army responded bravely, pushing back the aggression. Emergency teams came, but no aid can heal the invisible scars of fear carved into our hearts.
Living on the Edge of a War That Never Ends
To the outside world, Neelum Valley looks like paradise. Snow-capped mountains. Crystal-clear rivers. Forests that whisper with the wind. But for those of us who live along the Line of Control, that paradise is fragile — one explosion away from chaos.
Our village of Tehjiyan lies near the border. Every time tensions rise between India and Pakistan, our homes are the first to burn. We are told to stay strong, to keep faith. But strength fades when you spend nights underground, clutching your children, praying for dawn.
The media rarely reports our suffering. The world moves on after every incident. But for us, it never ends. The smell of gunpowder lingers in the air long after the firing stops. Even silence becomes something we fear.
A War on Our Childhoods
Perhaps the most silent victims of this violence are the young people. I am one of them.
Growing up in Neelum Valley, I was taught that our mountains protected us — that the sky was our ceiling and the earth our school. But how can we study when our schools are shut down for months due to shelling?
How can teachers teach when they fear for their lives? How can we write when the trembling of explosions snatches the pen from our hands?
Our dreams are being bombed before they even take flight. I once wanted to become a teacher. My cousin dreamed of becoming a doctor. Now, all we dream of is surviving the next night.
The world talks about the right to education, but in our classrooms, the chalk dust mixes with fear. Some schools have been destroyed entirely, and many children no longer attend classes at all. Our teachers — brave men and women — often risk their lives just to reopen a blackboard.
The Forgotten People of the LOC
The people of Tehjiyan are not alone in this suffering. All along the Line of Control — in villages like Athmuqam, Chakoti, and Leepa — families live in constant fear of cross-border fire.
There are widows who lost their husbands while tending the fields. There are children growing up without fathers, mothers who spend nights awake listening for the next explosion, and farmers who plant crops knowing they might never harvest them.
These are not soldiers. These are ordinary people, citizens of Azad Kashmir, who have become casualties of a conflict they did not create.
We don’t want revenge. We want peace. We want a life where our homes are not battlefields. We want to rebuild, to educate our children, to live without fear.
Our Appeal to the World
On behalf of the residents of Tehjiyan and all border villages of Neelum Valley, I make this heartfelt appeal to the Kashmir Welfare Foundation UK and all who still have compassion left in their hearts:
- Construct protective bunkers in our border areas. Our children should have a place to hide, not just pray.
- Provide financial aid to the families whose homes, crops, and livelihoods have been destroyed.
- Raise our voices internationally. Tell the world what is happening here. Help us reach human rights organisations, the UN, and anyone who can hold India accountable for this cruelty.
- Support rehabilitation projects. Rebuild our schools, homes, and community centres.
- Strengthen security to protect our people. We need safety, not silence.
Please, don’t let the pain of Neelum Valley be another forgotten tragedy.
We, the children of this land, want to write a future — not a eulogy.
How Kashmir Welfare Foundation Is Responding
Alhamdulilah, the Kashmir Welfare Foundation has been actively responding to humanitarian crises across the Line of Control. From emergency evacuations to delivering medical aid, the Foundation’s Emergency Relief Campaign ensures that when tragedy strikes, help is not far behind.
Through the Kashmir LOC Appeal, teams deliver immediate relief including food, water, blankets, and medical care to families displaced by cross-border violence. Volunteers travel through dangerous terrain to reach affected communities like ours in Tehjiyan — not with weapons, but with compassion.
When the firing stops, Kashmir Welfare Foundation remains. The rebuilding, the counselling, the support — that is what keeps us alive long after the headlines fade.
If you are reading this from the safety of your home in the UK, please know this: your donations save lives here. Your Sadaqah, Zakat, and Regular Giving are not numbers in a system — they are the reason families survive another night.
Rebuilding Hope in Neelum Valley
Even as we mourn, we rebuild. The spirit of Kashmir is unbreakable. Every shattered wall is repaired with faith. Every lost field is replanted with hope.
When aid reaches us, it restores more than homes — it restores dignity. A single food pack feeds a family for a month. A repaired school gives 100 children a chance to dream again. A water well turns despair into life.
For us, these are not statistics. They are miracles.
So, if you can help, please donate today to the Kashmir LOC Appeal and stand with the people of Tehjiyan and all border villages of Azad Kashmir. Your kindness is our shield. Your prayers are our comfort. Your support is our survival.
Final Words
When the guns speak, our pens fall silent. But silence is not surrender.
We will continue to write, even if our words are written in the dust of broken walls. We will continue to dream, even if the stars are hidden by smoke.
Because one day, Insha’Allah, Neelum Valley will be known not for the war it endured — but for the peace it rebuilt.
How You Can Help
- Donate to the Kashmir LOC Appeal to support emergency relief in border villages.
- Give Sadaqah to help families recover and rebuild.
- .Set up Regular Giving to ensure long-term support for vulnerable families in Azad Kashmir.
Kashmir LOC FAQ
1. What is the Line of Control (LoC)?
The LoC is the military boundary dividing Azad Jammu & Kashmir from Indian-occupied Kashmir. It is one of the most militarised borders in the world and frequently witnesses ceasefire violations that endanger civilian lives.
2. How does Kashmir Welfare Foundation help victims of shelling?
Through the Kashmir LOC Appeal, the Foundation delivers emergency relief, medical care, food packs, and rebuilding assistance for families affected by border violence.
3. Can I donate Zakat or Sadaqah to help people in Neelum Valley?
Yes. Both Zakat and Sadaqah directly support emergency relief, widow and orphan assistance, and rebuilding projects in areas like Tehjiyan.
4. How are donations used?
Every pound contributes to essential relief: food, medical aid, housing repairs, and long-term rehabilitation for displaced families. Transparent reporting ensures your charity reaches those most in need.
5. Why should UK donors support Kashmir specifically?
The UK has one of the largest Kashmiri diaspora communities in the world. Supporting humanitarian aid here means giving back to our roots — standing with our people when they need us most.
