GARHI DOPATTA, Pakistan-controlled Kashmir (AFP) -- An historic ceasefire between Indian and Pakistani forces in divided Kashmir has lasted 10 days, but failed to convince refugees to return to their homes on the heavily militarized border.

"Unless we are sure that this ceasefire would hold for long we cannot go back," said Mukhtiar Hussain Shah, 45, one of 1,132 refugees in camped near the town of Garhi Dopatta town in Pakistani-controlled Kashmir.

The ragged Zafar camp, 25 kilometers (15 miles) south of the main city of Muzaffarabad, houses 200 families who fled heavy shelling by Indian troops in valleys close to the dividing Line of Control (LoC) in August 1998.

Shah, who runs a grocery store in the camp, said refugees were too frightened to return home as they did not believe the ceasefire would last.

Pakistan and India began their first full ceasefire on November 26 along their Kashmir borders, including the LoC, a de facto frontier heavily scarred by years of artillery duels between rival troops.

The move was the latest in a series of fence-mending measures taken by the nuclear-armed rivals since they nearly came to blows after New Delhi blamed a 2001 attack its parliament on Pakistan-backed Kashmiri separatists.

Pakistan denies Indian accusations that it arms and trains separatists, many of them non-Kashmiris, and provides them artillery cover to cross the frontier to aid a long-running rebellion in the country's only Muslim-majority state.

Shah said years of shelling had destroyed everything in his village, razed houses to the ground and rendered cultivable lands barren.

"There is no electricity, no school and no water in our area. The government should first provide these facilities and then ask us to return," he said. "Under the prevailing circumstances, going back would mean that we are out of frying pan and into the fire."

Fazal Qureshi, 50, said India had always avenged attacks on its forces by Kashmiri fighters by resorting to shelling civilian populations along the LoC.

"The mujahedin (fighters) have vowed to continue the freedom struggle in (Indian-) held Kashmir. So I don’t think India would discontinue shelling for long," Qureshi said. "If the ceasefire would hold for good we will go back. Otherwise, we cannot afford to displace ourselves again and again."

The camp's prayer leader Maulvi Shafiur Rehman said he doubted the ceasefire would hold for good.

"Indian leaders cannot be trusted. I think they will resume shelling once the harsh weather is over," he said.

A Pakistani soldier, who was on vacation to see his family in the camp, was also suspicious of the ceasefire's durability.

"Our (Pakistani) leaders are doing their best for the peace in this region. But the Indian premier is untrustworthy," he said, requesting anonymity.

Soni Begum said she would only have faith in the ceasefire if the road between Muzaffarabad and the winter capital of the Indian-controlled zone Srinagar reopened. "I don’t want to face again that situation when we had to flee and leave all our belongings behind."

The local administration in Pakistani-controlled Kashmir has not formally asked the displaced persons to return homes.