New Delhi: On Saturday, India and Pakistan reached an agreement to immediately halt all forms of hostilities across land, air, and sea, following four days of severe cross-border drone and missile attacks.
The ceasefire was unexpectedly announced by US President Donald Trump via social media, with a subsequent formal declaration made by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. Trump stated on Truth Social, ‘After a lengthy night of discussions facilitated by the United States, I am delighted to declare that India and Pakistan have consented to a COMPLETE AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE.’
He further congratulated both nations for exercising common sense and intelligence, expressing gratitude for their attention to the situation. Nevertheless, shortly after the announcement, Jammu and Kashmir experienced a series of drone sightings during the night, accompanied by explosions, which led security forces to activate air defense systems to neutralize the threats. In a hastily convened press briefing at 11 PM, Misri confirmed that Pakistan had breached the ceasefire in the evening, and that the armed forces had provided a suitable and proportional response.
Here are the latest:
Blackout measures have been reinstated in various districts of Punjab as a precautionary step following their earlier withdrawal on Saturday. The affected districts include Hoshiarpur, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Pathankot, Patiala, Moga, Kapurthala, and Muktsar. In a statement released at 5:24 AM, the deputy commissioner of Amritsar indicated that while power has been restored in the city, it remains under a red alert status.
The statement advised residents to remain indoors and away from windows, emphasizing that sirens would sound to signal the red alert. Compliance was urged, and residents were reassured not to panic. Additionally, similar blackout measures were announced in several cities in Gujarat, including Kutch, Jamnagar, Santalpur Taluka, Patan, and Banaskantha, due to the sighting of drones in Kutch. The Gujarat minister of state for home, Harsh Sanghavi, urged residents to stay safe and calm.
In Rajasthan, blackout measures were also reinstated in Jodhpur and Jaisalmer. Meanwhile, in Nagrota, J&K, an army trooper sustained injuries during an engagement with a suspect near a military station. Amid rising tensions, Pakistan’s foreign ministry reiterated its commitment to the truce while attributing violations to India, asserting that their forces are managing the situation with responsibility and restraint.
