Pakistani troops violate ceasefire for 12th night, Indian Army retaliates

On the intervening night of May 5 and 6, Pakistani troops continued ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) for the 12th consecutive day. The escalation comes amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan following the downgrading of diplomatic ties after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

 

Pakistani forces carried out unprovoked small arms firing in areas opposite Kupwara, Baramulla, Poonch, Rajouri, Mendhar, Naushera, Sunderbani and Akhnoor in Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Army responded promptly and proportionately, according to an official statement. 

 

Ceasefire violations along the LoC and the International Border (IB) have been rare since the two countries renewed the ceasefire agreement on February 25, 2021.

 

Pakistan violates ceasefire again

 

On April 24, Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked small arms firing along the LoC. This followed India’s decision to downgrade diplomatic ties, suspend the Indus Waters Treaty agreement and shut down the Attari border for key movement.

 

According to a PTI report, Pakistani troops initially targeted several posts in the Kupwara and Baramulla districts of north Kashmir. The violations later expanded to the Poonch and Akhnoor sectors in the Jammu region. 

 

MHA orders civil defence drills

 

On Monday, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) directed several states to carry out mock drills on Wednesday, including activating air-raid warning sirens and training civilians in civil defence measures to safeguard themselves in the event of a "hostile attack." The drills will involve civil defence exercises and rehearsals across 244 designated "civil defence districts" in the country. These will include measures for implementing crash blackout protocols, camouflaging essential infrastructure and updating evacuation plans.

 

The ministry stated that the exercise, extending to the village level, is intended to evaluate and improve the readiness of civil defence systems across all states and Union Territories.

 

India-Pakistan tensions escalate

 

The April 22 terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 people — mostly tourists — in Pahalgam’s Baisaran Valley, triggered a strong response from the Indian government. Condemning the attack, the Centre announced a series of measures against Pakistan. These included the cancellation of visas for all Pakistani nationals under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) and instructions for all Pakistani citizens residing in India to leave.

 

In retaliation, Pakistan suspended the Simla Agreement and closed its airspace to Indian flights. 

 

Since then, tensions have escalated further. The Indian government has blocked access to the Instagram accounts of several Pakistani celebrities. It has also taken down over 15 Pakistani YouTube channels accused of spreading false, communal content and misinformation.