The Pakistan Army violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control for the fourth consecutive day on Sunday night by opening small arms fire in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara and Poonch districts, The Indian Express quoted a defence official as saying.

Lieutenant Colonel Suneel Bartwal, the defence public relations officer, said that the Indian Army responded “swiftly and effectively” to the firing.

No deaths were reported, he added.

This came amid diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack.

The terror attack at Baisaran on April 22 left 26 persons dead and 17 injured. The terrorists targeted tourists after asking their names to ascertain their religion, the police said. All but three of those killed were Hindu.

The Pakistan Army had opened small arms fire at locations along the Line of Control on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The Indian military had retaliated to these ceasefire violations.

In February 2021, India and Pakistan announced a ceasefire agreement along the Line of Control after discussions between the two countries’ director generals of military operations. The two countries reaffirmed a commitment made during the 2003 ceasefire agreement to address “each other’s core issues and concerns”.

The ceasefire has largely held since 2021. But India has accused Pakistan of violating the agreement several times between 2022 and 2024.

In the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, India suspended visa services for Pakistani citizens and said all valid visas would be revoked from April 27, except medical visas, which will remain valid until April 29. Pakistani nationals in India under the SAARC visa scheme were given 48 hours to leave. India’s Ministry of External Affairs also advised its citizens against travelling to Pakistan and urged those already there to return.

On Thursday, Pakistan said that India’s suspension of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty was an “act of war” and warned that it would respond with “full force across the complete spectrum of National Power”.

It also said it would suspend the 1972 Simla Agreement with India. The agreement resulted in the recognition of the Line of Control that serves as the de facto boundary between the countries in much of Jammu and Kashmir.