Sharif Hails Peace, Army Fires Shots: Pakistan Violates Ceasefire with India

New Delhi : In a significant development, India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire on Saturday, brokered by the United States and welcomed by several global powers. However, the agreement was quickly undermined as Pakistan violated the truce within hours, raising concerns over its commitment to peace.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addressed the nation late Saturday night, lauding the ceasefire agreement and crediting his armed forces for their “valour.” In his speech, Sharif claimed that Pakistan, as a responsible state, had positively responded to the ceasefire in the interest of regional stability and for the well-being of its citizens. But even as he spoke, Pakistani forces were reportedly engaging in cross-border provocations.

Indian officials reported that shortly after the agreement came into effect, Pakistani troops resumed firing along the Line of Control (LoC) and launched drone incursions across the International Border (IB). These violations starkly contradicted Sharif’s televised message of peace and cast doubt on Pakistan’s sincerity in upholding the ceasefire.

The ceasefire, which was supposed to take effect at 5 p.m. IST on Saturday, was the result of direct military-level talks between both nations. India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) had contacted his Indian counterpart at 3:35 p.m. to finalise the terms.

“It was agreed that both sides would halt all firing and military actions on land, air, and sea from 1700 hours,” Misri announced. He also confirmed that both sides had issued instructions to enforce the ceasefire and would hold further DGMO-level talks on May 12 at noon.

Despite this formal agreement, reports of Pakistani drone activity emerged late Saturday night. Unmanned aerial vehicles were spotted from Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir to Bhuj in Gujarat. As a precaution, Indian authorities imposed blackouts in border towns and villages, fearing possible attacks or surveillance missions.

The violations came as a surprise and were widely viewed as a breach of the fragile trust that the ceasefire had briefly ignited. The Indian government has not issued a formal response to the violations, but sources indicated that the breaches would be raised during the next round of DGMO-level talks.

In his address, Prime Minister Sharif thanked US President Donald Trump, as well as China, Saudi Arabia, and other international stakeholders, for their role in facilitating the ceasefire. While praising global diplomacy, Sharif remained silent on the violations by his own military.

International reactions to the ceasefire agreement were largely positive. The United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia welcomed the move, with the European Union calling it a “vital step towards de-escalation” and urging both nations to honour the commitment. Germany described the truce as “the first, important step out of the escalation spiral.”

The US-brokered understanding was seen as a rare breakthrough amid months of rising tensions and sporadic hostilities. Saturday’s ceasefire announcement by India’s Foreign Secretary came shortly after President Trump publicly confirmed that both nations had agreed to a “full and immediate” halt to military actions.

However, the subsequent violations have now cast a shadow over the agreement and dampened hopes for long-term peace.

The upcoming DGMO talks on May 12 are expected to be critical in determining whether the ceasefire can be salvaged or if the brief window of peace will close as quickly as it opened.

As it stands, the ceasefire agreement is hanging by a thread. While welcomed by the international community and viewed as a potential path to de-escalation, Pakistan’s actions on the ground suggest a disconnect between political statements and military conduct. Whether both sides can move beyond this setback remains to be seen.