ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN – Barely hours after agreeing to a US-brokered ceasefire to end a dangerous escalation in military hostilities, nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan are already trading accusations of violating the newly established truce. The development casts a shadow over hopes for a swift de-escalation following weeks of intense conflict.
The ceasefire, announced with cautious optimism on Saturday after high-level diplomatic interventions, was intended to halt all firing and military action along the Line of Control (LoC) and in the air and sea, effective from 5 PM local time. The agreement followed a significant spike in tensions, including missile strikes and drone attacks, triggered by a deadly tourist massacre in Indian-administered Kashmir last month, which India blamed on Pakistan – a charge Islamabad vehemently denies.
However, the fragile peace appears to have been short-lived. Late Saturday, India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri delivered a stern statement, accusing Pakistan of “repeated violations of the understanding arrived between the two countries.” He cited reports of explosions in Srinagar and Jammu in Indian-controlled Kashmir, followed by power outages, as evidence of Pakistan’s breach of the agreement.
“For the last few hours, there have been repeated violations of the understanding arrived at earlier this evening between the directors general of military operations of India and Pakistan,” Misri stated in a late-night press conference in New Delhi. “We call upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation with seriousness and responsibility.” He added that Indian forces were “retaliating” for what he termed a “border intrusion.”
Islamabad swiftly countered the accusations, with Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry issuing a statement early Sunday asserting its commitment to the ceasefire and blaming Indian forces for initiating the violations in “some areas.” The ministry emphasized that Pakistani troops were “handling the situation with responsibility and restraint.”
“Notwithstanding the violations being committed by India in some areas, our forces are handling the situation with responsibility and restraint,” the Pakistani Foreign Ministry stated. “We believe that any issues in the smooth implementation of the ceasefire should be addressed through communication at appropriate levels. The troops on the ground should also exercise restraint.”
The conflicting accounts highlight the deep mistrust and volatility that continue to plague the relationship between the two nations. The reported explosions in Indian-administered Kashmir, just hours after the ceasefire was meant to take effect, have raised serious concerns about the commitment of both sides to upholding the agreement.
Omar Abdullah, a prominent political figure in Jammu and Kashmir, expressed his alarm on social media, posting, “What the hell just happened to the ceasefire? Explosions heard across Srinagar!!!” He later added, “This is no ceasefire. The air defence units in the middle of Srinagar just opened up.”
While the exact nature and cause of the explosions remain unclear, the immediate accusations traded by both sides underscore the precariousness of the truce. The international community, which had largely welcomed the ceasefire as a crucial step towards de-escalation, will be watching closely to see if this latest setback derails the fragile progress made.
The US, which played a key role in brokering the ceasefire, has yet to officially comment on the alleged violations. However, the swift descent into mutual recriminations highlights the immense challenges that lie ahead in achieving a lasting peace between India and Pakistan. The focus now shifts to whether diplomatic channels can be effectively utilized to address these alleged violations and prevent a further unraveling of the already tenuous agreement.