For decades, Keran, a beautiful landscape on the banks of the Kishanganga River situated in Kupwara district symbolized the fragility of peace between India and Pakistan. Earlier, frequent ceasefire violations, infiltration attempts and displacement of civilians defined life in this frontier area & every exchange of fire disrupted education, agriculture and livelihoods, while uncertainty became an inseparable part of daily life. Today, however, Keran valley is slowly acquiring a different identity which is indeed encouraging as it stands as a testament to how peace can transform border communities, where tourism, people-to-people interactions, and the shared cultural bonds of families and communities living on both sides of Kashmir demonstrate the tangible benefits of stability and mutual understanding. One of the defining moments of present-day Keran is that of people standing on opposite banks of the river waving to one another and tourists frequently exchange greetings with residents across the LoC, while local people acknowledge each other with simple gestures. These brief interactions are informal, spontaneous and conducted within the limits of security regulations but they carry immense symbolic value. They remind us that despite divisions, people living on both sides share a common cultural and social heritage. 

Perhaps nothing illustrates this shared humanity more poignantly than the funeral of Naib Tehsildar Liyaqat Ali Khan in April 2026. After his untimely demise, his mortal remains were brought to his ancestral village of Keran for burial. News of his death travelled across the LoC, where close relatives living in Pakistan occupied Kashmir gathered on the opposite bank of the Kishanganga River.........

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