Pakistan violates ceasefire in Poonch, India retaliates strongly

Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated sharply as Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir for the fourth consecutive night. According to officials, this marks the first ceasefire violation by Pakistan in the Poonch sector since hostilities began escalating after the deadly Pahalgam terror attack.

The Indian Army confirmed that during the night of April 27-28, Pakistani posts initiated unprovoked small arms fire targeting areas opposite Kupwara and Poonch districts. Indian forces responded swiftly and effectively, maintaining control and ensuring there were no casualties on the Indian side.

This escalation follows the brutal Pahalgam attack, where 26 people, including tourists, were killed in a terrorist assault linked to Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives. The incident has severely strained India-Pakistan relations, reviving memories of the 2019 Pulwama attack.

In retaliation to the terror strike and growing hostility, India has taken several stern steps. These include the expulsion of Pakistani military attachés, suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, and the immediate closure of the Attari land transit post. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after chairing a high-level Cabinet Committee on Security, vowed to "identify, track and punish" every terrorist and their sponsors.

Meanwhile, Pakistan has responded by suspending all existing bilateral agreements with India, including the historic Simla Agreement. Diplomatic channels between the two nations have now frozen amid rising military posturing.

Police have also intensified their hunt for the attackers. Sketches of three suspects—Hashim Musa alias Suleman and Ali Bhai alias Talha Bhai from Pakistan, and Adil Hussain Thoker from Anantnag—have been made public, with appeals for information on their whereabouts.