Kashmir Attack: Pakistani Army Violates Ceasefire, Launches Unprovoked Firing At LoC; Indian Army Retaliates

Jammu & Kashmir Terror Attack: In an unprovoked situation, the Pakistani Army violated the ceasefire agreement with India as they opened fire at the line of control (LoC). As per reports, this will be the second time in two nights that the Pakistani troops have tried to provoke the Indian army, since the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir. India retaliated accordingly.

The government's media website, News On Air, reported that ceasefire violations by the Pakistan Army have been reported from many places in the Nowgam area along the Line of Control in North Kashmir's frontier Kupwara district. The violations were also reported from the Rajouri and Poonch areas late last night in the Jammu region.

According to the sources, small artilleries were used by the Pakistani army to target several locations at the LoC. To which India retaliated with the neighboring firing.

However, it needs to be noted that no casualties have been reported as of now.

Another report stated that the unprovoked firing was a method by Pakistani troops to enquire about the alertness of the Indian army.

Meanwhile, Indian forces like Army, Police and CRPF continue their combing operation in the Baisaran village area in Pahalgam for the fourth day now. Many suspects have been arrested in Pahalgam and other parts of Kashmir.

What Is Line Of Control?

The Line of Control (LoC) is a military control line between the Indian- and Pakistani-controlled parts of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir-a line that does not constitute a legally recognized international boundary but serves as the de facto border. It was established as part of the Simla Agreement at the end of the Indo-Pakistani War in 1971. Both nations agreed to rename the ceasefire line as the "Line of Control" and pledged to respect it without prejudice to their respective positions. Apart from minor details, the line is roughly the same as the original 1949 cease-fire line, per Wikipedia.

Once a princely state, Jammu and Kashmir is now divided into three parts. Under India's control, the land of the former princely state is called the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, while the Pakistan-controlled region is called Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. There is another LoC in the northernmost part of Kashmir, called NJ9842, beyond which the Siachen Glacier is situated. This glacier had become a bone of contention in 1984. Further to the south, which is Sangam, Chenab River, and Akhnoor, there is an LOC between Pakistani Punjab and the Jammu province, which has an ambiguous status because India refers to it as an "international boundary," and Pakistan calls it a "working border."

There is another line of control that separates the Indian-controlled Jammu and Kashmir from the China-controlled land which is known as Aksai Chin. Lying further to the east, it is known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

India made stringent cross-border decisions after the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 people on April 22.

The CSS of India, which is the top body of national security for the country, condemned the latest terror attack on Kashmiri soil and recognized the seriousness of the heinous attack. It decided to immediately ban Pakistani nationals from traveling to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES). Any SVES visas that were issued in the past to Pakistani nationals are deemed cancelled.

Furthermore, in a bold decision, CSS of India also suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, which, as per Pakistan, is a lifeline to about 240 million people in their country. The suspension of a 65-year-old treaty between India and Pakistan is expected to impact the latter's 90% agriculture sector. Lastly, the Indian government closed the Attari and Wagah borders, which was another major trade route between the two countries.

In a tit-for-tat, Pakistan also cancelled all visas to Indian nationals while banning its airspace for Indian-operated or owned airlines. Further, Pakistan suspended the 1972 Simla Agreement.