‘We’ve seen this before, not worried, trust Indian Army’: Punjab village surrounded by Pakistan stays calm amid tension

DAOKE (AMRITSAR) : Daoke, a village surrounded on three sides by Pakistan and connected to the rest of India by a single narrow road, is cautious but not unnerved by the rising tensions between India and Pakistan.On Thursday, TOI visited the village and found groups of villagers gathered around large wooden tables, laughing and discussing local issues, while also commenting on what they perceive as the “media exaggeration” of the ongoing conflict. In another corner, a group gathered beneath a shaded tree, with a barbed wire fence stretching out behind them, beyond which lay Pakistan.“We’ve seen this before. In 1965, 1971 and during Operation Parakram, we were evacuated. The Army was everywhere, and you could feel the war coming,” said Gurnam Singh, an elderly resident of Daoke. “Back then, there was palpable fear, and we had no choice but to leave. Today, though, life is different. There’s no change in our routine. We still work the fields, right next to Pakistan. The Army’s presence is minimal, and we’re just getting on with it.”Dharmender Singh, another resident, admitted that the explosions heard in and around Amritsar on Wednesday night had been unnerving. “It was scary; for a moment, it felt like war was imminent,” he said. “But we’re not worried — not yet.”This sentiment resonates across Daoke, a village of over 2,200 residents that shares a 9km border with Pakistan. While tending his fields, Kulwant Singh, a farmer, said if Pakistan blasts the single road connecting Daoke, they would be cut off and trapped. “But we are not running away. This is our home, and we trust the Army to protect us,” he said. Despite their outward calm, subtle signs of caution linger. Many families have sent their children to relatives in safer areas.“It’s just a precaution. We don’t discuss it openly, but we want the children to be safe,” said Kulwant.Reflecting on the past, Gurdev Singh, a resident of Mahawa village nearby, recalled the military presence during the 1971 war, when tanks rolled through fields and fighter jets filled the skies. “Today, the tension feels more subtle — almost invisible — but no less real. The Army has advanced technology now, and though we can’t always see them, we trust they have things under control,” he remarked.Sukha Singh, 71, a resident of neighboring border village of Neshta, shared his memories of the 1965 India-Pakistan war, noting how media was far less accessible. “Back then, news trickled in through radios. Now, with everyone sharing updates on mobile phones, it’s more confusing than helpful. We often don’t know what to believe,” he said. Santokh Singh, Neshta resident, warned that if a resolution is not reached between India and Pakistan soon, it could have devastating consequences for both countries. “I’ve lived through these conflicts,” he said. “And I fear history could repeat itself,” he added.