Rahul Gandhi visits shelling-hit Poonch

POONCH — Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Saturday visited Poonch district in Jammu and Kashmir to meet the families affected by recent cross-border shelling from Pakistan. The shelling has reportedly claimed the lives of around 15 civilians and caused widespread damage to homes and local infrastructure.

Gandhi was accompanied by Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) chief Tariq Hameed Karra, senior Congress leader G.A. Mir, and a host of other party leaders. The visit, according to Karra, was not political but meant to express genuine solidarity with the grief-stricken families.

“This is a visit of empathy and solidarity. The primary purpose is to share the pain of those who have lost their loved ones and visit the damaged establishments,” Karra told reporters, adding that the focus remains solely on Poonch, the area most affected by the recent shelling.

During the visit, Rahul Gandhi interacted with local residents, listened to their grievances, and personally assessed the scale of destruction. Several families shared harrowing stories of loss and trauma triggered by the shelling.

Party leaders said Gandhi’s presence was meant to reassure the residents that their suffering was being heard at the national level and that efforts would be made to raise their concerns in Parliament.

The visit comes amid growing concerns over the security and safety of civilians living along the Line of Control (LoC), who have repeatedly borne the brunt of cross-border hostilities.

Rahul pays emotional visit to school of twin victims in Poonch

Rahul Gandhi also visited Christ School in Poonch, where twin siblings Zayn and Zoya studied before they were tragically killed in recent cross-border shelling by Pakistan.

Gandhi interacted with grieving classmates, teachers, and school staff. The visit aimed to express solidarity with the community mourning the loss of the two children.

Describing the visit as a gesture of empathy, Gandhi said it was meant to share in the pain of those affected and draw attention to the suffering of civilians living near the Line of Control.

School authorities and residents expressed their anguish, urging the government to take urgent steps to protect lives along the border.

Gandhi’s visit has been widely viewed as a compassionate move, spotlighting the human cost of continued hostilities in the region.