Srinagar, New Delhi: Pakistan on Saturday violated the ceasefire agreement along the International Border and the Line of Control (LoC) at multiple locations in Jammu and Kashmir — including Srinagar — as well as parts of Punjab and Rajasthan, just hours after both nations agreed to a truce. The Border Security Force (BSF) has been directed to respond with full force to any ceasefire violations, according to sources.
The escalation by Pakistan occurred shortly after India announced a ceasefire agreement had been reached between the two nations, following Islamabad’s initiation of truce talks. The Pakistan government also confirmed the same shortly thereafter.
Multiple blasts were heard in Srinagar, and a red alert was issued and a blackout was enforced in the area. A drone has been shot down in Rajasthan’s Pokhran as well as in Baramulla in Kashmir.
The Pakistan Army resorted to artillery shelling along the International Border in the Akhnoor, Rajouri, and RS Pura sectors. Ceasefire violations were also reported along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Palanwalla sector of Jammu.
In Baramulla, a drone was shot down and suspicious Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) were spotted. A blackout has been enforced in both Baramulla and Srinagar. Drones were also sighted in Rajouri, and an air raid siren was reported from the Samba district in the Jammu region.
An aerial activity was reported, and a blackout was enforced in Katra, the base camp for pilgrims visiting the Mata Vaishno Devi Temple.
In Punjab, the drone activities were spotted at Gurudaspur, Ferozpur, Pathankot, Hoshiyarpur, Jalandhar and Faridkot. Authorities in Jalandhar and Ludhiana have urged the residents to be on high alert and directed blackouts amid the evolving situation.
“In view of the change in circumstances, all members of the public are sincerely requested to stay indoors and must go for a voluntary blackout wherever is possible”, the Jalandhar administration urged.
The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister expressed anguish, as the attack occurred just hours after the ceasefire. “This is no ceasefire,” he said.
“What the hell just happened to the ceasefire? Explosions heard across Srinagar!!!,” Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdulla tweeted.
“This is no ceasefire. The air defence units in the middle of Srinagar just opened up,” he added, sharing a video of the drone attack.
The shelling and drone attacks continued for just over an hour before the shelling finally ceased at the border.
In a surprise announcement earlier today, the government said that India and Pakistan have agreed to a ceasefire, bringing an end to the military operations between the two nations that began after the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam. The talks were initiated by Pakistan, and the ceasefire agreement was reached during discussions held at the level of the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of both countries on Saturday afternoon.
