Schools in Azad Kashmir begin 'first aid' training sessions in face of possible war

Kashmiri schools have been turned into first aid camps, where children are being trained to respond in emergency situations as border tensions continue to mount along the Line of Control (LoC), according to AFP.

Konain Bibi, 13, who attended the first aid lesson in her school, told AFP, “With India threatening us, there's a possibility of war, so we'll all have to support each other.”

The Pakistani-administered Kashmir has at least 6,000 schools, colleges, and universities, including 1,195 located near the Line of Control (LoC), the heavily militarised border that separates the disputed territory.

In an effort to protect children during the potential war, school administrations have launched first aid training, teaching students how to respond in emergency situations, such as evacuating through windows, using inflatable slides, and carrying injured people.

Read: Indian quadcopter shot down by Pakistan Army as tension flare on LoC

Notably, Pakistan and India have exchanged fire at the border for several nights, breaking the fragile ceasefire agreement after the deadly Pahalgam attack. 

Emergency workers said training sessions have already taken place in 13 schools in Muzaffarabad.

 “In an emergency, schools are the first to be affected, which is why we're starting evacuation training with schoolchildren,” Abdul Basit Moughal, a trainer from Pakistan's Civil Defence Directorate said while speaking to AFP.

Children in the school believe this training will be beneficial if their friends get wounded during a potential war, enabling them to carry anyone on stretchers, dress wounds, and handle fire extinguishers.

Read: Indian bunkers destroyed in Pakistan’s response to unprovoked LoC violation

However, children residing near the LoC also expressed concerns about their safety while travelling to school, as the area had been targeted by the Indian army in the past.

Around 1.5 million people residing near the LoC are preparing for potential violence by building simple underground bunkers. 

In Chakothi village, just 3 km from the border, 60 families have access to about 30 bunkers, which are basic mud-walled structures sometimes reinforced with concrete, from where the Indian army’s check posts located nearby mountains can be seen.