'Selfies at the Border': Tourism Booms Despite Ceasefire Violations by Pakistan

Jammu: While incessant shelling along the border in Jammu is driving away people to safer areas, there are also those who are going to the border to experience the situation first hand. Border tourism is bustling despite record ceasefire violations in the last two years as hundreds are visiting the International Border in RS Pura sector each day.

For Shelja and her family from Uttarakhand, who are visiting the International Border in RS Pura, it is a visual treat - they are clicking selfies and posing with the border fence.

"We saw bunkers and flags of India and Pakistan, we felt very good, we hope tourists from Pakistan also come to see the border areas," said an excited Shelja.
 Last week, tension scaled at the International Border after Pakistan targeted Border Security Force men and labourers repairing the border fence. One civilian was killed and a dozen others were injured in firing and shelling which went on intermittently for four days. More than 3,000 people have migrated to safer areas following the latest ceasefire violation.

But the latest escalation has not deterred the tourists swarming the borders in large numbers.

"We heard that there was major firing here a couple of days ago. Lots of tourists are coming here, we also came to visit the area," said Kishan Lamba, another tourist from West Bengal's Siliguri.

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