Pakistani Troops Violate Ceasefire Along LoC for Fifth Consecutive Night

Pakistani troops continued small arms firing on Indian forward positions across various sectors along the Line of Control (LoC) for the fifth consecutive night, the Indian Army said on Tuesday, terming it an “unprovoked ceasefire violation.” The Army added that it responded with weapons of the same calibre.

A defence spokesperson in Jammu confirmed that the Pakistan Army initiated firing in Baramulla and Kupwara districts in Kashmir and the Akhnoor sector in Jammu. “During the night of April 28-29, the Pakistan Army resorted to unprovoked small arms firing across the LoC in areas opposite Kupwara and Baramulla, as well as Akhnoor sector. The Indian Army responded in a measured and effective manner,” the spokesperson said.

Defence officials noted that such violations have occurred nightly since April 24–25 in multiple sectors, always involving small arms. Each time, Indian forces have retaliated proportionally.

Pakistani media over the weekend reported two civilian fatalities due to Indian firing, claiming both were shepherds searching for lost sheep near the LoC. However, Islamabad has not officially confirmed the incident or responded to India’s charge of continuous ceasefire breaches — a violation of the 2003 agreement reaffirmed by both nations in February 2021.

Security analysts believe the renewed hostilities may be a strategic move by Pakistan to signal alertness and deter perceived Indian responses following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

India and Pakistan first agreed to a ceasefire along the 745-km LoC and the 198-km International Border (referred to as the "Working Boundary" by Pakistan) in November 2003. While the agreement held for several years, violations became frequent after 2008, with major escalations from 2012 onwards causing significant casualties and damage on both sides.

In February 2021, a hotline conversation between India’s DGMO Lt Gen Paramjit Sangha and Pakistan’s Maj Gen Nauman Zakaria led to a renewed ceasefire understanding. The agreement had largely held, bringing peace to border residents, boosting agriculture, trade, education, and even opening new tourist circuits in places like Gurez, Bungus, Kaman Post, and Tangdhar.

However, the Pahalgam attack has strained the fragile truce. While the ceasefire hasn’t fully collapsed, the recent spate of LoC skirmishes signals a potential unraveling. Locals fear a return to the instability that marked the decade between 2010 and 2020.

Amid rising tensions, Jammu & Kashmir and parts of Ladakh were placed on high security alert last week. Border areas have witnessed increased deployment, tighter surveillance, and enhanced coordination among security agencies.

Authorities have restricted the movement of non-locals near the LoC. Tourist visits to sensitive areas like Karnah, Keran, Machil, Bungus Valley (Kupwara), and Baramulla’s Kaman Post — which had seen a tourism boom — now require prior approval. Kaman Post, once a cross-LoC trade and travel hub, is among 48 locations declared off-limits to tourists on Tuesday.