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India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire on Saturday after US-led talks to end the most serious military conflict between nuclear-armed rivals in decades, but accused each other of breaching the contract several hours later.
The ceasefire was expected to bring a quick end to weeks of escalating clashes, including missile and drone strikes caused by massive shootings of tourists India has been denounced by Pakistan last month. However, hours after the countries agreed to the deal, multiple explosions were heard in two major Indian-controlled Kashmir cities.
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Mithrih, late Saturday, accused Pakistan of violating the agreement.
“We call on Pakistan to take appropriate measures to address these violations and address the situation with severity and responsibility,” he said at a press conference in New Delhi. Mithri said the Indian military was “retaliating” for what he called “border invasion.”
In Islamabad, Pakistan’s foreign ministry has accused the Indian troops of launching a ceasefire violation. The ministry said Pakistan is left to the agreement and its forces are handling the situation with responsibility and restraint.
“We believe that the issues in the smooth implementation of ceasefires should be addressed through appropriate levels of communication,” the ministry said.
The first words of the truce came from US President Donald Trump, who posted on his true social platform that India and Pakistan agreed to a complete and immediate ceasefire.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shebaz Sharif said in a speech on Saturday that his country agreed to a ceasefire in the great interests of peace in the region and hoped that all prominent issues with India, including the long-term conflict over the Kashmir region, will be resolved through peaceful dialogue.
Misri said the head of military operations in both countries spoke on Saturday afternoon and agreed that “both sides will halt all fire and military action on land and in the air.”
However, a few hours after the agreement, power outages continued in two cities following the explosions heard by residents of Srinagar and Jammu, India-controlled Kashmir. There were no immediate reports of victims.
Omar Abdullah, an elected official in the region, said in a social media post:
We are working towards a broader agreement
The conflict between India and Pakistan is not rare, and since Britain’s independence from India in 1947, the two countries have regularly engaged in wars, clashes and skirmishes.
The latest hostilities ceasefire has said India targeted air force bases in Pakistan after the country fired volleys of missile attacks across the border on Saturday, and then India launched several high-speed missiles on military and civilian infrastructure in Punjab. Pakistan said it responded with a retaliatory strike.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he and Vice President JD Vance have worked with senior officials from both countries over the past 48 hours. They included Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Indian Foreign Minister Subramanyam Jaishankar and Pakistan Army Prime Minister Asim Munier.
Rubio said the two governments agreed to “open consultations on a wide range of issues at neutral sites.”
The Pakistanis initially celebrated the retaliation of the Army, but later rejoiced at the armistice, saying it was a moment of pride and relief for the people a few days after tensions.
In Islamabad, Zubai Dhabibi expressed his joy in restoring peace with India.
“War only brings suffering,” she said. “I’m happy to be calm and come back. It feels like Eid to me. We won.”
Trade before a ceasefire
Tensions have skyrocketed as the attacks at a popular tourist destination in India-controlled Kashmir killed 26 civilians, mostly Indian tourists, on April 22.
Before reaching the ceasefire, Indian troops said Pakistan targeted medical facilities and schools at three air bases in Kashmir early on Saturday, and India launched missile strikes accordingly. They targeted Islamabad’s capital, Islamabad, Murid Air Force Base in Chakwar city, Rafiki Air Force Base in Jan district in eastern Punjab and Nur Khan Air Force Base in the city of Rawalpindi’s rison, according to a Pakistani military spokesman.
Pakistani forces said they have launched retaliatory strikes against Indian missile storage facilities and air bases in the cities of Patankot and Udhanpur.
The Associated Press was unable to independently examine all actions arising from Pakistan or India.
After the announcement of Pakistan’s retaliation, residents of India-controlled Kashmir said they had heard the big explosions in several locations, including Srinagar, Jammu and Udhanpur.
“The explosion we hear today is different from what we heard about our last two nights during the drone attack,” said Sish Paul Beid, a former police officer in the area and Jammu resident. “It looks like a war here.”
Residents who also live near the airport in Srinagar, an air force base, said they were rattled by the explosion and booming jets.
“I was already awake, but the explosion forced my children out of their sleep. They began to cry,” said Mohamed Yasin, a resident of Srinagar.
Omar Abdullah, an elected official in Kashmir, controlled by India, welcomed the ceasefire. But he said if it had happened a few days ago, “we might have avoided bloodshed and the loss of precious life.”
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Hussein reported from Srinagar, India, and Roy reported from New Delhi. Author of Associated Press in New Delhi Sheikh Sarik, Babar Dogah of Lahore, Pakistan, Asim Tanbear of Multan, Pakistan, Munier Ahmed of Islamabad and Rias Khan of Peshawar, Pakistan, contributed to the report.
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