Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

Jammu, May 4: Tensions along the Line of Control (LoC) have escalated sharply as Pakistan's Army continued its ceasefire violations for the 10th consecutive day, prompting proportionate retaliation from Indian forces, according to official sources.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Ministry of Defence confirmed that Pakistani troops opened unprovoked small arms fire during the intervening night of May 3 and 4. The attacks targeted Indian positions across several sectors including Kupwara, Baramulla, Poonch, Rajouri, Mendhar, Naushera, Sunderbani, and Akhnoor in Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Army responded promptly and in equal measure, the statement said.

The ongoing ceasefire breaches come in the wake of a horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22, where Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) operatives—allegedly supported by Pakistan—brutally murdered 26 civilians, among them 25 tourists and a local resident. The massacre at Baisaran meadow has triggered national outrage and condemnation.

Reacting to the tragedy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed a relentless pursuit of those behind the attack. “The terrorists, their handlers, and supporters will be chased down to the ends of the earth,” he declared.

In response, India has implemented a series of strong retaliatory measures against Pakistan. These include the deportation of Pakistani nationals from Indian territory, suspension of the Attari-Wagah border crossing, temporary shelving of the Indus Waters Treaty, closure of Indian airspace to Pakistani commercial flights, and a complete halt to bilateral trade and cultural exchanges.

Further intensifying India’s response, the Prime Minister has granted full operational autonomy to the armed forces to avenge the Pahalgam killings. This decision followed a high-level meeting involving the Defence Minister, National Security Advisor, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), and the heads of the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Prior to that, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a focused 40-minute discussion with PM Modi on April 28, after receiving a comprehensive assessment from CDS General Anil Chauhan on military readiness.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, reviewed the region’s security with Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi in Srinagar. He directed the forces to use "whatever force necessary" to eliminate the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack.

To further send a stern warning to terror networks and their enablers, security agencies have launched an intensified crackdown on terrorist infrastructure. On April 25, two properties linked to LeT terrorists Adil Hussain Thokar and Asif Sheikh—both involved in the Pahalgam massacre—were demolished in Tral and Bijbehara. So far, 10 such demolitions have taken place across Kashmir targeting homes of active militants.

In a rare show of unity, the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly passed a unanimous resolution on April 28 condemning the terror attack in Pahalgam, labeling it a “dastardly act” that demands justice.