BSF given free hand for retaliation to Pakistan’s firing after ‘ceasefire’

New Delhi: In a fresh escalation of border tensions, the Border Security Force (BSF) of India has been granted the authority to retaliate against Pakistan along the International Border, with assurances that the response will be proportionate and appropriate, according to sources. 

The development comes after Pakistan launched heavy artillery firing across the Line of Control (LoC) and drone attacks in Srinagar and Udhampur districts in Jammu and Kashmir.

The decision to empower the BSF with retaliatory capabilities is seen as a direct response to these provocations. 

The ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan, set to commence at 5 PM today, was breached by Pakistan within hours of its announcement. 

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah took to social media to report the activation of air defence units in the heart of Srinagar, signaling a potential violation of the truce that aimed to de-escalate tensions along the Line of Control (LoC) and beyond.