Pahalgam attack: After years of tranquility, LoC villagers prepare for 'war' as India-Pakistan tensions escalate

People along the Line of Control in Kashmir and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) are prepared for more violence after a deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam. Both sides are prepared to defend themselves, with communities such as Churanda on the Indian side and Chakothi in PoK erecting bunkers and fortified shelters in anticipation of a possible conflict.

Tensions rose after terrorists opened fire in Baisaran on April 22, targeting tourists. People in Kashmir, both along the border and beyond, are anxious about the likelihood of rising tensions between the two countries. The attack on tourists in South Kashmir is one of the most lethal in the region since the 2019 Pulwama incident, which killed 40 CRPF personnel.

With Pakistani troops consistently violating the ceasefire along the LoC, apprehension remains high. The Pakistan Army's unprovoked gunfire is likewise a violation of the peace established by the February 2021 ceasefire deal. On February 25, 2021, the armies of both nations stated that they had began observing a ceasefire along the LoC beginning at midnight on February 24. They had also reached a cease-fire agreement in November 2003, but it was repeatedly breached. Today, tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors increase concerns about the potential of a military war.