Ceasefire Falters Hours After Agreement

A fragile ceasefire between nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan was marred by reported violations within hours of its announcement Saturday, as explosions rocked cities in Indian-administered Kashmir and both sides accused each other of breaking the agreement brokered after four days of escalating military conflict.

The truce, which was intended to halt the most serious fighting between the longtime rivals in nearly three decades, remains technically in effect despite the incidents, with both governments publicly urging restraint while trading accusations of responsibility for the violations.

Explosions and Accusations

Residents and authorities reported blasts in Srinagar and Jammu, the two main cities in Indian-administered Kashmir, Saturday evening, with projectiles and flashes visible in the night sky. “What the hell just happened to the ceasefire? Explosions heard across Srinagar!!!” wrote Omar Abdullah, chief minister of Indian Kashmir, in a social media post that included video of the night sky illuminated by what appeared to be air defense systems, according to Reuters.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told reporters that Pakistan had “repeatedly violated the understanding arrived at earlier this evening” and that Indian armed forces had been instructed to “deal strongly” with any further breaches. Pakistan’s foreign ministry countered that the country remained “committed to the ceasefire” and blamed India for the violations, calling on troops on both sides to “exercise restraint.”

U.S. Mediation Disputed

The ceasefire announcement was first made by U.S. President Donald Trump, who claimed credit for mediating “a long night of talks” between the two countries. “After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE,” Trump posted on Truth Social, congratulating both countries on “using common sense and great intelligence,” according to CNN.

However, the extent of U.S. involvement has been disputed by India, which has traditionally resisted international mediation in its disputes with Pakistan. While U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that he and Vice President JD Vance had engaged with senior officials from both countries over 48 hours, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, Indian officials made no mention of Trump or other U.S. officials in their announcement of the agreement.

Prior Escalation

The ceasefire came after days of cross-border fire, shelling, and drone and missile attacks that began on April 22 when gunmen killed 26 people in an attack on Hindu tourists in the Pahalgam area of Indian Kashmir. India blamed Pakistan for the massacre and responded on May 7 with “Operation Sindoor,” a series of airstrikes targeting what it described as “terrorist infrastructure” in Pakistan and Pakistani-administered Kashmir, according to reports.

The conflict escalated dramatically in the hours before the ceasefire, with both countries conducting missile strikes against each other’s military installations. Pakistan claimed to have targeted Indian missile storage facilities and air bases in Pathankot and Udhampur, while India said it struck three Pakistani air bases, including the Nur Khan facility near Islamabad.

Diplomatic and Economic Measures Remain

Despite the military ceasefire, punitive diplomatic and economic measures announced by both countries after the April 22 attack remain in place. These include India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, which regulates water sharing between the two nations, closure of borders, suspension of trade, and cancellation of visa services.

Two Indian government sources confirmed to Reuters that these measures would stay in effect for now, suggesting that a broader diplomatic normalization remains distant. Shuja Nawaz, a distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center, predicted that water sharing under the Indus treaty would likely “figure prominently in the impending talks after a decent interval, which allows both governments to claim credit for what they’ve achieved until now.”

Residents on Edge

People living near the Line of Control that divides the disputed Kashmir region expressed cautious relief mixed with continued anxiety. “I still hear the sound of shells exploding in my ears,” said Saima Qazi, a resident of Surankote in the Himalayan foothills who fled her home during the fighting. “Tonight is the deciding night. If it holds tonight then we will relax, but if it does not, then we know what is coming next,” she told The Washington Post.

In Pakistan, residents who had celebrated the announcement of the ceasefire remained hopeful but wary. “There was a lot of disbelief about how far the situation had to escalate before being contained,” said Rahat Anwaar Abbasi, who lives near a military base in Rawalpindi that was targeted in the Indian strikes, describing a tense night of “wall-shaking blasts” followed by “constant gunfire.”