Quick Take
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Pakistan Army violated a ceasefire along the Line of Control for the eighth consecutive night, prompting Indian Army retaliation. Tensions escalated after the Pahalgam attack, leading to reciprocal measures.
New Delhi:
Pakistan Army violated ceasefire along the Line of Control for the eight consecutive night on Thursday by initiating unprovoked firing.
Small arms firing was directed from posts opposite Kupwara, Baramulla, Poonch, Naushera and Akhnoor areas of Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Army responded to the firing along the 740-kilometre-long de facto border.
The exchange of fire comes amid heightened tensions and a string of tit-for-tat measures by the neighbouring countries following the April 22 Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 civilians.
Since the night of April 24, just hours after India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, Pakistani troops have been resorting to unprovoked firing at various places along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir.
On Tuesday, Islamabad expanded the firing to the Pargwal sector along the International Border in Jammu district.
The same day, directors general of military operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan spoke over the hotline. The Pakistan military has been warned against the unprovoked firings, people familiar with the DGMO talks told PTI.
A day after the Pahalgam attack, India announced a raft of punitive measures against Pakistan including suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, shutting down of the only operation land border crossing at Attari and downgrading of diplomatic ties in view of cross-border links to the attack.
In response, Pakistan shut its airspace to Indian airliners and suspended all trade with India, including through third countries. Pakistan rejected India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and said any move to stop the flow of water will be seen as an “act of war”.
India shares a total of 3,323 km of border with Pakistan, divided into three parts: the International Border (IB), approximately 2,400 km from Gujarat to the northern banks of the Chenab River in Akhnoor, Jammu; the Line of Control (LoC), 740 km long, running from parts of Jammu to parts of Leh; and the Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL), 110 km long, dividing the Siachen region from NJ 9842 to Indira Col in the north.
In February 2021, the DGMOs of India and Pakistan had reiterated their commitment to the 2003 ceasefire agreement to ensure peace along the de-facto border.