A fragile ceasefire held on Sunday between Pakistan and India after four days of intense fighting. The conflict saw missiles and drones launched across the border. The fighting was the worst in nearly three decades.
US President Donald Trump welcomed the ceasefire. He praised both nations and offered to help find a lasting solution on Kashmir.I will work with both to find a solution concerning Kashmir,” Trump posted on Truth Social. He also pledged to boost trade with both countries.
The conflict erupted on Wednesday, just two weeks after attackers killed 26 Hindus in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
India blamed Pakistan-based groups for the assault, a claim Pakistan strongly rejected.
Pakistan maintains it only offers moral, diplomatic, and political support to the Kashmiri people. India continues to accuse Pakistan of backing the insurgency that began in 1989 in IIOJK.
The two nuclear-armed nations, born out of British colonial rule in 1947, have fought three wars — two of them over Kashmir.
Over the past four days, both sides fired artillery, missiles, and drones at military installations. Authorities reported dozens of deaths and widespread damage. Reuters witnesses confirmed blasts from air-defense systems and blackouts in several cities near the border.
The ceasefire, brokered through diplomatic pressure from the United States, appeared to take effect late Saturday. However, by nightfall, Indian forces had reportedly violated the agreement in IIOJK. Pakistan responded but reiterated its commitment to peace.
Returning to Normalcy
By early Sunday, the situation had calmed. Firing and explosions stopped, according to witnesses along the border. In Amritsar, a siren sounded in the morning, signaling a return to normalcy. Locals emerged from their homes, cautiously optimistic.
“Ever since the attack in Pahalgam, we shut our shops early and lived in fear,” said Satvir Singh Alhuwalia, a 48-year-old shopkeeper. “I’m happy there will be no more bloodshed.”
In Pakistan, authorities confirmed limited firing overnight in Bhimber, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). No injuries were reported. Power was restored in many areas previously under blackout.
The total death toll from the latest skirmishes has reached nearly 70. Most of the casualties are believed to be military personnel and civilians living near the Line of Control (LoC).
Pakistani and Indian officials are closely monitoring the situation. While the ceasefire is holding, there is deep concern that tensions could flare again.
For residents of border cities like Amritsar and Bhimber, the calm brought relief. “More than me, my family is happy,” said Guruman Singh, a security guard. “My children and wife kept calling every hour to check on me. Thank God the ceasefire happened.”
For now, guns have fallen silent. But with the core Kashmir issue unresolved, peace remains uncertain.
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