- Indian troops violated the 2021 LoC ceasefire, targeting civilian and military positions in Pakistan’s Kayani and Mandal sectors.
- Pakistan Army delivered a swift and proportionate response, reaffirming its commitment to national defense.
- Independent analysts warn India may be paving the way for a false-flag operation amid forced evacuations in occupied Kashmir.
- Islamabad urges global powers — including the UN, US, China, and EU — to take urgent notice and prevent further escalation.
ISLAMABAD, April 30 — In a serious breach of the 2021 ceasefire agreement, Indian forces initiated unprovoked firing across the Line of Control (LoC) late Monday night, targeting both civilian areas and military positions in Pakistan’s Kayani and Mandal sectors. The Pakistan Army responded decisively, neutralizing the threat and underscoring Islamabad’s commitment to defending its sovereignty.
Security officials confirmed that the Indian aggression began between the night of April 29 and the early hours of April 30, with small arms and automatic weaponry used indiscriminately. No casualties have been reported on the Pakistani side so far, but the attack has raised alarms in diplomatic and security circles across the region.
The fresh flare-up comes against the backdrop of a draconian security clampdown in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, where reports suggest Indian forces have forcibly evacuated residents from villages along the LoC. Independent observers and humanitarian watchdogs fear these clearances may be a precursor to a staged confrontation, possibly a false-flag operation, designed to justify further repression and deflect international scrutiny from India’s worsening human rights record in the disputed region.
“This is not an isolated incident,” a senior Pakistani security official told this correspondent on condition of anonymity. “India is systematically escalating tensions, both to provoke a reaction and to distract from its internal crises — including rising political dissent, religious extremism, and its brutal colonial-style administration in Kashmir.”
A Pattern of Provocation
Diplomatic sources in Islamabad point to a broader pattern of Indian militarism under the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Since 2019, when India unilaterally revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, the region has seen a surge in militarization, detentions, media blackouts, and human rights violations.
In recent weeks, India has intensified its crackdown in the occupied territory, detaining dozens of Kashmiri youth, deploying additional paramilitary troops, and curbing freedom of movement under the guise of “security operations.” The latest LoC incident, Pakistan’s Foreign Office said in a statement, “reflects India’s desperate attempts to provoke Pakistan and distract the world from its crimes in Kashmir.”
Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch condemned the Indian aggression and called on the international community — including permanent members of the UN Security Council — to take urgent notice. “This deliberate escalation risks peace and stability in South Asia,” she said. “Pakistan reserves the right to respond to any misadventure with full force and resolve.”
Regional Stability at Stake
China, a strategic ally of Pakistan and a key stakeholder in the region, has consistently called for peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute through dialogue. Beijing’s interests in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which passes near the disputed territory, make stability in the region paramount. Chinese analysts have warned that Indian adventurism on the LoC risks drawing the wider region into confrontation.
Moscow, traditionally a friend to both South Asian powers, has also voiced concern in the past over rising tensions in Kashmir. Russia’s diplomatic stance has tilted slightly toward neutrality in recent years, but any destabilization along the LoC could complicate its efforts to broker peace in other global hotspots.
Meanwhile, in Brussels and Paris, lawmakers and rights groups have grown increasingly vocal about India’s human rights record. The European Parliament has debated multiple resolutions condemning New Delhi’s actions in Kashmir, calling for unrestricted access to international observers — something India continues to deny.
Pakistan’s Restraint and Resolve
Despite repeated provocations, Pakistan has shown remarkable restraint, emphasizing diplomacy over conflict. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a recent address to the National Assembly, reiterated Pakistan’s desire for peace, but warned that any Indian miscalculation would be met with an “iron-clad response.”
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The Pakistan Armed Forces, meanwhile, remain on high alert. Military analysts note that Islamabad has not only enhanced surveillance and readiness along the LoC but has also improved strategic coordination with regional allies to ensure no space is left for surprise aggression.
As tensions rise, international observers are urging calm but warning that silence in the face of Indian aggression could embolden further violations.
Global Responsibility
With nuclear-armed states on either side of the LoC, the stakes are high. Washington, which has recently deepened military and trade ties with New Delhi, must carefully weigh its strategic interests against its stated commitment to human rights and international law. Many in Islamabad believe that tacit Western support for India has emboldened its hardline policies.
Pakistan continues to call for third-party mediation and the full implementation of UN Security Council resolutions that recognize the right of Kashmiris to self-determination.
“India must be held accountable for its actions — not just for the sake of Kashmiris, but for the peace of the entire region,” said a former Pakistani diplomat. “The world cannot afford to look the other way.”