Srinagar residents were jolted by loud explosions late Saturday, only hours after India and Pakistan announced a ceasefire. Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, voiced his alarm in a public post.
In a post on X, he added, "This is no ceasefire. The air defence units in the middle of Srinagar just opened up."
In another post, Abdullah wrote, "What the hell just happened to the ceasefire? Explosions heard across Srinagar!!!"
Omar Abdullah also posted a video which showed the explosions. He said, 'This is no ceasefire. The air defence units in the middle of Srinagar just opened up.'
The timing of the blasts has stirred unease. His remarks came within hours of a high-profile diplomatic breakthrough, raising questions about what exactly the ceasefire covers—and who is enforcing it on the ground.
A complete blackout has been enforced in Jaisalmer, Ferozpur and Barmer, as reported by ANI.
Red streaks seen and explosions heard as India's air defence intercepts Pakistani drones amid blackout in Srinagar.
Also Read: “No shift in stance on terrorism,” says EAM S Jaishankar after India, Pakistan ceasefire starts at 5 PM
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting at his residence on Saturday which was attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval and Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan.
Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri were among those who attended the meeting.
India and Pakistan on Saturday worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action.
These developments appeared to undercut the spirit of the ceasefire, announced earlier in the day by international leaders and officials from both nations.
Before the announcement of the stoppage of firing from both side, The Indian government has declared that any future terrorist attack on Indian soil will be considered an "act of war" and responded to accordingly. This decision, as stated by top official sources on Saturday, serves as a strong warning to Pakistan.
The government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has decided to treat future terror incidents as acts of war. This means India will respond with military action, similar to its response after the recent attack in Pahalgam, if Pakistan-linked terrorists target India again.
According to a top government source, "Any future act of terror in India will be considered an act of war against the country and will be responded to accordingly." This formalizes India's stance against terrorism. Under international law, an "act of war" allows a country to legitimately target the aggressor.
Soon after this announcement, India stated that the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMO) of India and Pakistan have agreed to stop all firing and military action on land, air, and sea, effective from 5 pm on Saturday. The DGMO of Pakistan called the DGMO of India earlier that afternoon, according to Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.
Also Read: India declares any future act of terror will be treated as act of war
“After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE.”
“Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Trump’s announcement followed intense discussions involving key stakeholders on both sides. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the US role in brokering the deal, praising the two prime ministers.
“I am pleased to announce the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site,” said Rubio.
“Over the past 48 hours, Vice President Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik,” he added.
Vice President JD Vance posted separately, “Great work from the President’s team, especially Secretary Rubio. And my gratitude to the leaders of India and Pakistan for their hard work and willingness to engage in this ceasefire.”
In Islamabad, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed the ceasefire.
“Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect. Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity!” Dar said on X.
Speaking to Geo News, he added, “We have agreed on a ceasefire from 4:30 pm (Pakistan Time) today.”
He attributed the outcome to rapid diplomatic efforts that activated the hotline between the countries.
“We are monitoring but we welcome all efforts to de-escalate the conflict,” said UN Secretary General’s Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq.
Shortly after the ceasefire announcement, Pakistan opened its airspace to commercial flights.
“All airports in the country are available for normal flight operations. Passengers are requested to contact the relevant airline for the latest schedule of their flights,” the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) said.
Airspace had been restricted earlier due to heightened tensions, affecting schedules and causing widespread delays.
This ceasefire follows a dangerous spike in hostilities. On Wednesday, Indian forces carried out precision strikes on terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The attacks were in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam bombing, which had cross-border links.
In response, Pakistan launched drone attacks on 26 locations across India, including Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Gujarat. The Defence Ministry said vital installations like airports and air bases were targeted, but defences held strong.
On Thursday evening, Indian air defence systems intercepted at least eight missiles reportedly launched by Pakistan, including towards the sensitive Jammu airport.
Despite the ceasefire, the noise of conflict has not yet faded. For residents like those in Srinagar, peace feels distant.
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In another post, Abdullah wrote, "What the hell just happened to the ceasefire? Explosions heard across Srinagar!!!"
Omar Abdullah also posted a video which showed the explosions. He said, 'This is no ceasefire. The air defence units in the middle of Srinagar just opened up.'
The timing of the blasts has stirred unease. His remarks came within hours of a high-profile diplomatic breakthrough, raising questions about what exactly the ceasefire covers—and who is enforcing it on the ground.
A complete blackout has been enforced in Jaisalmer, Ferozpur and Barmer, as reported by ANI.
Red streaks seen and explosions heard as India's air defence intercepts Pakistani drones amid blackout in Srinagar.
Also Read: “No shift in stance on terrorism,” says EAM S Jaishankar after India, Pakistan ceasefire starts at 5 PM
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting at his residence on Saturday which was attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval and Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan.
Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri were among those who attended the meeting.
India and Pakistan on Saturday worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action.
Air defence action in Udhampur
In a separate incident, red streaks were seen cutting across the night sky in Udhampur. Eyewitnesses described loud detonations as Indian air defence systems responded to suspected Pakistani drones. A blackout had been imposed in the area shortly before the interception.These developments appeared to undercut the spirit of the ceasefire, announced earlier in the day by international leaders and officials from both nations.
Before the announcement of the stoppage of firing from both side, The Indian government has declared that any future terrorist attack on Indian soil will be considered an "act of war" and responded to accordingly. This decision, as stated by top official sources on Saturday, serves as a strong warning to Pakistan.
The government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has decided to treat future terror incidents as acts of war. This means India will respond with military action, similar to its response after the recent attack in Pahalgam, if Pakistan-linked terrorists target India again.
According to a top government source, "Any future act of terror in India will be considered an act of war against the country and will be responded to accordingly." This formalizes India's stance against terrorism. Under international law, an "act of war" allows a country to legitimately target the aggressor.
Soon after this announcement, India stated that the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMO) of India and Pakistan have agreed to stop all firing and military action on land, air, and sea, effective from 5 pm on Saturday. The DGMO of Pakistan called the DGMO of India earlier that afternoon, according to Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.
Also Read: India declares any future act of terror will be treated as act of war
US Confirms Ceasefire After Overnight Talks
Just hours earlier, US President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, announcing the ceasefire.“After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE.”
“Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Trump’s announcement followed intense discussions involving key stakeholders on both sides. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the US role in brokering the deal, praising the two prime ministers.
“I am pleased to announce the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site,” said Rubio.
“Over the past 48 hours, Vice President Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik,” he added.
Vice President JD Vance posted separately, “Great work from the President’s team, especially Secretary Rubio. And my gratitude to the leaders of India and Pakistan for their hard work and willingness to engage in this ceasefire.”
Pakistan and India confirm agreement
In New Delhi, officials said the arrangement came through a direct conversation initiated by Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO). Sources confirmed that after the call, both militaries worked out the terms.In Islamabad, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed the ceasefire.
“Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect. Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity!” Dar said on X.
Speaking to Geo News, he added, “We have agreed on a ceasefire from 4:30 pm (Pakistan Time) today.”
He attributed the outcome to rapid diplomatic efforts that activated the hotline between the countries.
UN and aviation authorities respond
The United Nations welcomed the move.“We are monitoring but we welcome all efforts to de-escalate the conflict,” said UN Secretary General’s Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq.
Shortly after the ceasefire announcement, Pakistan opened its airspace to commercial flights.
“All airports in the country are available for normal flight operations. Passengers are requested to contact the relevant airline for the latest schedule of their flights,” the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) said.
Airspace had been restricted earlier due to heightened tensions, affecting schedules and causing widespread delays.
This ceasefire follows a dangerous spike in hostilities. On Wednesday, Indian forces carried out precision strikes on terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The attacks were in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam bombing, which had cross-border links.
In response, Pakistan launched drone attacks on 26 locations across India, including Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Gujarat. The Defence Ministry said vital installations like airports and air bases were targeted, but defences held strong.
On Thursday evening, Indian air defence systems intercepted at least eight missiles reportedly launched by Pakistan, including towards the sensitive Jammu airport.
Despite the ceasefire, the noise of conflict has not yet faded. For residents like those in Srinagar, peace feels distant.
