A soldier stands guard on the rooftop of a mosque damaged by a suspected Indian missile attack near Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-administered Kashmir on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. (MD Mughal/AP)
In the still of night, as Mohammad Iqbal worked a late shift at a power plant near Poonch in Indian-administered Kashmir, a panicked phone call shattered the silence. Artillery shells were raining down near his home, terrifying his family.
“I told them to stay together in one room on the ground floor,” he recalled. “We just hoped it would be over by morning.”
But morning brought no relief. For four harrowing days, intense cross-border shelling engulfed the region, marking one of the most severe escalations between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan in years. The specter of war loomed large.
Iqbal’s village, nestled in pine-covered hills with views of the snowy Himalayan peaks, lies dangerously close to the Line of Control—the unofficial but volatile border dividing Indian and Pakistani-administered Kashmir. Despite the scenic surroundings, the region is one of the world’s most militarized and has long served as a flashpoint of tension between the two neighbors.
The violence erupted following the massacre of tourists in Indian-controlled Kashmir last month, which India blamed on Pakistan-backed militants. Islamabad denied involvement. What followed was a terrifying exchange of missiles, drones and artillery that shook communities on both sides of the border.
Just two hours after the bombardment began, Iqbal learned that a shell had struck his brother-in-law’s home. The explosion near a water tank shattered windows and sent shards of glass flying, injuring his brother-in-law and young niece.
Chaos ensued. Villagers scrambled to evacuate. Those with vehicles loaded in as many people as they could. Families were separated in the panic. Iqbal eventually located his relatives at a hospital where his brother-in-law, a police officer, was in critical condition as overwhelmed doctors struggled to manage the influx of casualties.
While his brother-in-law survived, two of Iqbal’s neighbors did not.
According to CNN, Pakistan reported that Indian shelling killed 40 civilians and wounded 121 others, in addition to 11 soldiers. India reported 15 civilian deaths, 59 injuries and five soldiers lost. For the roughly 15 million Kashmiris caught in the crossfire, each escalation deepens the sense that peace is slipping further away.
Following Sunday’s ceasefire announcement, residents on both sides are gripped by a mix of relief and dread.
“There’s a tense calm here,” said 25-year-old Amir Choudhary from Akhnoor in Indian-administered Kashmir. “Shops are open again, and some of those who fled have begun returning. But the fear comes back with nightfall.”
Across the Line of Control in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Saima Ashraf echoed the anxiety.
“People are still uncertain. Many don’t trust that this ceasefire will last,” she said.
In Neelum Valley, Pakistani official Akhtar Ayoub said many residents are waiting to return home, unsure of what lies ahead.
For villagers like Raja Shoukat Iqbal, the ceasefire is essential.
“Kashmiris on both sides are paying the price,” he said. “This peace was necessary not just for us, but for the world. Any misstep between these two nuclear nations could cost billions of lives.”
A Legacy of Conflict
The Kashmir dispute dates to 1947, when British India was divided into India and Pakistan. Kashmir—a Muslim-majority region ruled by a Hindu monarch—became a central point of conflict. The ruler opted to join India, but Pakistan claimed the territory.
Since then, the region has witnessed decades of strife and three wars. Pakistan views Kashmir’s division as a historical injustice. Its military, including General Asim Munir, has maintained a hardline position; Munir recently described Kashmir as Pakistan’s “jugular vein.”
India, meanwhile, accuses Pakistan of fostering terrorism in the region—an allegation Pakistan denies. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government, New Delhi revoked Kashmir’s special autonomy in 2019 and has since tightened its control over the region.
Tensions Still Simmer
Despite the ceasefire, rhetoric remains aggressive. India claims to have conducted successful strikes inside Pakistan, destroying militant camps. Pakistan responded by saying its air force downed five Indian jets, including Rafale fighters.
In a national address Monday, Modi stated India had merely “paused” its operations. “We will assess Pakistan’s every move,” he warned.
For everyday Kashmiris, such declarations offer little comfort.
In Uri, a student who declined to be named said he spent nights frozen in fear. “We sat praying the next shell wouldn’t hit our home,” he said.
News of the ceasefire brought a moment of joy. “We smiled, we hugged,” he added. “We just want this peace to last. There must be a lasting solution.”
Back in Poonch, Iqbal looked over his damaged home with cautious optimism.
“We’re lucky,” he said. “We only have houses to rebuild. Our family is safe. But whether this peace holds, nobody knows.”
