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Heavy firing during ceasefire violations from the Pakistani side over the past week has left residents of villages along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) in Jammu division gripped with fear, haunted by memories of a violent…

Arjun Sharma Our Correspondent

Heavy firing during ceasefire violations from the Pakistani side over the past week has left residents of villages along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) in Jammu division gripped with fear, haunted by memories of a violent past.

These border communities had witnessed a relatively peaceful period since February 2021, when India and Pakistan agreed to renew the 2003 ceasefire agreement. However, the recent violations—following a terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives—have revived painful recollections of the days when bomb shells and bullets would indiscriminately strike men, women and cattle.

Sukhdev Singh, a resident of Arnia village in Jammu district, said the renewed shelling has brought back traumatic memories of residents fleeing their homes for safety. Arnia has suffered significantly during past ceasefire violations, with casualties and widespread damage to property.

“During a war, at least people are prepared for the possibility of bombings or gunfire. But during ceasefire violations, there is no warning. We never know when or where a mortar shell might land,” Singh said.

Locals living near the IB in Jammu, Kathua and Samba districts had felt a sense of relief since the 2021 agreement, as prior violations often disrupted farming and daily life. Amid the current tensions, many villagers have harvested their crops prematurely, fearing escalation.

Residents have also begun cleaning and repairing individual and community bunkers constructed by the government before 2021. These bunkers, once a lifeline during frequent shelling, had largely been abandoned during the period of relative calm.

Satish Kumar, a resident of Akhnoor in Jammu district, said community bunkers had been long forgotten until now. “If shelling resumes, we’ll take cover in these bunkers. We never thought such a situation would return, but Pakistan and its proxies seem determined to sabotage peace,” he said.

In 2017, the Central government had sanctioned the construction of over 14,000 individual and community bunkers across Jammu, Kathua, and Samba districts along the IB, and Poonch and Rajouri districts along the LoC, to protect civilians during cross-border

Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh Memorial Hockey Tournament

Players of Indian Navy (white) and Indian Army in action during the 6th edition of the Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh Memorial Hockey Tournament-2025 at the 3 BRD Air Force station in Chandigarh on Thursday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: RAVI KUMAR

The hosts Indian Air Force (IAF) continued their winning streak in the ongoing 6th edition of the Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh Memorial Hockey Tournament. They recorded a 4-1 win over Naval Hockey Academy, at the Raghbir Singh Bhola Hockey Stadium, No 3 Base Repair Depot (BRD), Air Force Station.

The side was off to a slow start, before Lovedeep Singh opened the account for the hosts. Singh netted the opening goal in the 34th minute, while Ajit Pandit doubled the lead in the 48th minute. The side further gripped the match as Sukhdev Singh extended the lead to 3-0 in the 51st minute. Just four minutes later, Vinayak posted the final goal for the side and confirmed full points for the side. As the match was coming to an end, Sem Munda pulled of a consoling goal for the Naval Hockey Academy in the 60th minute. Pandit was named Man of the Match.

Quarterfinals line-up

Indian Air Force Vs Roundglass

RCF Vs Indian Army

Indian Railway Vs Naval Tata

Chandigarh XI vs Punjab and Sind Bank

In the second match, Gursewak Singh netted two goals to help Roundglass Hockey defeat Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) 4-0. The side was quick to score the opening goal in the 4th minute, as Japneet Singh successfully converted a penalty corner. The lead was soon doubled by Jerman Singh in the 21st minute. Thereafter, Gursewak (40th, 43rd) scored two goals for the side.

In the third match, Indian Navy managed to overcome the two-goal lead and play a draw against Indian Army. The Army boys were right on target, as Sunil Xaxa netted two goals. However, the Navy team made a stunning comeback to the match through Pawan Rajbhar (33rd) and Sundara Pandi (38th). Jobanpreet Singh was named Man of the Match. In the last match, Jaskaran shone for Punjab Sind Bank as they defeated Bangladesh Air Force 4-3. Jaskaran netted three goals to lead the side to victory. He netted the opening goal in the 1st minute of the game and Shahid Thakur doubled the lead in the 23rd minute. The Bangladesh lads got their act together and Shohanpur (24th), Mohammed Obidul (30th) and Mohammed Shojib (31st) scored back to back goals. However, Jaskaran helped the side made an unexpected comeback by netting a brace in the 51st minute to level the score, followed by another in the 54th minute to seal the match at 4-3.

Both students shine on national, international platforms

Two girl cadets from Mehr Chand Mahajan (MCM) DAV College for Women, Sector 36, here have brought laurels to the city by bagging national and international acclaim through the prestigious National Cadet Corps (NCC) Army Wing.

In a landmark achievement, a Senior Under Officer (SUO), Rabya, has become the first cadet from her college’s Army Wing and the only cadet from the 1 Chandigarh Girls Battalion under the PHHP&C Directorate to be selected for the NCC Youth Exchange Programme (YEP) since 2011.

Senior Under Officer Rabya (extreme left).

Representing India as part of a seven-member delegation, SUO Rabya embarked on a 10-day cultural diplomacy mission to Mauritius, participating in the island nation’s National Day celebrations.

Her itinerary included high-level engagements with Deven Nagalingum, Mauritius’ Minister of Youth and Sports, and Vimarsh Aryan, Deputy High Commissioner of India to Mauritius.

The delegation’s visit to historic sites such as the Mahatma Gandhi Institute, Ganga Talao and Île Aux Cerfs underscores the YEP’s mission of promoting cross-cultural dialogue and youth engagement among 25 participating nations.

“Rabya’s achievement is not just personal, it symbolises the power of Indian youth, especially young women, to serve as cultural ambassadors on the world stage,” said the college spokesperson, Dr Manjot Kaur Josan.

While SUO Rabya made waves abroad, another SUO Manya Bahl stood tall at home, bringing pride to the nation during the Republic Day Camp (RDC) 2025 held at Cariappa Parade Ground, New Delhi. Honoured with the Director General’s Medallion, one of the highest awards conferred upon NCC cadets, SUO Manya’s excellence in the cultural event category highlights the powerful blend of discipline and creativity that defines the new face of NCC.

College’s glorious past

With a history dating back to 1968, MCM DAV College’s NCC unit is the largest in Chandigarh, boasting of 160 cadets across Army and Naval wings. In recent years, the institution has witnessed a string of outstanding achievements. In 2022, SUO Prerna and Under Officer Srishti Rana participated in the Republic Day parade; in 2024, cadets Rabya and Khushi represented the PHHP&C Directorate in the 75th Republic Day celebrations.

The college has also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Mai Bhago Armed Forces Preparatory Institute (AFPI), Mohali, allowing cadets to pursue higher education alongside structured defence training, a model of integrated excellence.

Daughters marching ahead: College prez

“As India strides confidently into the future, these daughters of the nation are not merely marching on ceremonial grounds, they are shaping the national narrative, lifting the Tricolour high with unwavering resolve. They have proven that when opportunity meets determination, young Indian women soar beyond borders,”

said Padma Shri Dr Punam Suri, President, DAV College Managing Committee.

The decision to allow the Army and IAF fleets to fly means that a majority of the 330-strong ALH fleet will resume operations

Ajay Banerjee Tribune News Service

After nearly four months of grounding, the Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) fleet used by the Army and Indian Air Force has been cleared for flying amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan. These helicopters are utilised for logistics, transport, search and rescue, medical evacuation, reconnaissance, and anti-submarine warfare. A combat version of the copter is also armed for ground troop support.

The decision to allow the Army and IAF fleets to fly means that a majority of the 330-strong ALH fleet will resume operations. The Army operates around 200 of these copters, while the IAF has 75. However, the ALH versions used by the Navy and Coast Guard have not yet been cleared for flying.

The fleet was grounded following a Coast Guard copter crash on January 5 that killed three personnel. The investigation revealed a fracture in the ‘swash plate’ as the probable cause. Over the past 25 years, there have been 28 ALH crashes, with 13 attributed to technical reasons and 13 to human error.

An ALH is considered a major success in indigenous military equipment manufacturing. It has four variants—ALH Mark 1, Mark 2, Mark 3, and ALH-WSI (Weapons Systems Integrated)—all twin-engine machines. Due to the grounding, ALH did not participate in the Republic Day flypast or Aero India in February.

His remark comes amid heightened tension between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack and Islamabad’s apprehension of retaliatory action by New Delhi

Pakistan Army chief Gen Asim Munir on Thursday warned that any “military misadventure” by India will be met with a “swift, resolute and notch-up response” as he visited a firing range to witness a high-intensity field training exercise conducted by the armed forces.

His remark comes amid heightened tension between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack and Islamabad’s apprehension of retaliatory action by New Delhi.

“Let there be no ambiguity: any military misadventure by India will be met with a swift, resolute and notch-up response,” the army chief was quoted as saying by the state-run news agency Associated Press of Pakistan.

“While Pakistan remains committed to regional peace, our preparedness and resolve to safeguard national interests is absolute,” he said while addressing troops at the Tilla Field Firing Ranges (TFFR).

Gen Munir visited the TFFR to witness Exercise Hammer Strike – a high-intensity, field training exercise conducted by Pakistan Army’s Mangla Strike Corps, the news agency reported, citing a press release issued by the army’s media wing.

The exercise was designed to validate combat readiness, battlefield synergy, and the operational integration of cutting-edge weapon systems under near-battlefield conditions, it said.

A diverse array of advanced capabilities, including multirole fighter aircraft, combat aviation assets, long-range precision artillery, and next-generation field engineering techniques, were employed to simulate conventional battlefield scenarios, it added.

Pakistan warned on Wednesday that the next 36 hours would be critical due to the threat of Indian action.

However, the US secretary of state called leaders of both countries and urged them to cooperate to defuse the tension while following restraint.

In February 2020, the AFT had allowed a petition filed by one Milap Chand seeking service benefits. However, the orders of the Tribunal were not implemented, prompting him to move an application before it for execution

Holding the top functionary of the Department of Ex-servicemen’s Welfare in the Ministry of Defence “guilty” of contempt for failing to execute orders of the of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) even five years after they were passed, the AFT’s Chandigarh Bench has directed his personal appearance in court for further proceedings on the quantum of sentence.

In February 2020, the AFT had allowed a petition filed by one Milap Chand seeking service benefits. However, the orders of the Tribunal were not implemented, prompting him to move an application before it for execution.

During hearings on the application, the Tribunal observed that an affidavit filed by the Secretary, Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, showed that an unconditional and unambiguous apology has been tendered for non-execution of order under execution.

It further stated that order of courts and tribunals not involving any financial implication have to be implemented by the Service Headquarters. However, orders which are contrary to government regulations, policies or the law declared by the Supreme Court have to be challenged in accordance with law.

The affidavit averred that the responsibility for the same has been delegated to the respective Service Headquarters and the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare is only a regulations making Authority. Thus, there was no wilful default.

The order under execution has been challenged vide a civil writ petition in the High Court in 2025 and the same is presently pending. No stay has not been granted by the High Court on implementation of the Tribunal’s orders.

Holding that in accordance with the settled legal position, the order under execution cannot be held in abeyance, the Bench of Justice Sudhir Mittal and Lt Gen Ranbir Singh rejected the explanation given in the affidavit.

“Secretary, Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, is held guilty of wilfully violating the order dated February 25, 2020. The fact that the writ petition has been filed only in the year 2025 shows the seriousness with which orders passed by this Tribunal are treated,” the Bench ruled in their order of April 30.

“Accordingly, ‘Wilful Disobedience’ is evident. Adjourned to May 16, 2025, to enable the contemnor to remain present in person for arguments on the quantum of sentence,’ the Bench further directed.

Non-implementation of AFT orders and filing appeals against petitions allowed in favour of defence personnel, even in cases where the law has already been settled by the Supreme Court, has been a long-standing issue, with thousands of pending cases. In August 2024, the AFT’s larger Bench had ruled that the Tribunal had powers to initiate criminal contempt against officials in cases of wilful non-compliance or orders.

After closing its airspace for Pakistan carriers, India is contemplating suspension of shipping routes and postal services with Pakistan. Although postal services between the two countries were suspended in August 2019 in the aftermath of abrogation of Article 370 which…

Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service

After closing its airspace for Pakistan carriers, India is contemplating suspension of shipping routes and postal services with Pakistan.

Although postal services between the two countries were suspended in August 2019 in the aftermath of abrogation of Article 370 which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, these had resumed after three months.

India is now considering banning postal consignment exchange with Pakistan.

More importantly, the government is considering suspension of the limited shipping and sea trade routes available with Pakistan, a move that could slow the transport of essential commodities, including pharmaceuticals to Pakistan and drive up costs of imports.

Although trade between India and Pakistan through land routes remains suspended since 2019, some scale of trade between the two countries persists through sea and air routes. With Indian airspace for Pakistan carriers shut down yesterday, the availability, even though restricted, of shipping lanes for trade is important for Pakistan which uses these to import select products such as textiles, the mainstay of its economy.

A government reply in the Lok Sabha recently said current sea route trade with Pakistan involved Indian ports and cargo complexes including Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, Inland Container Depot in Tughlakabad and Mundra SEZ.

In August 2019 after the abrogation of Article 370, Pakistan took a number of measures to downgrade ties, including the suspension of bilateral trade. Until then the principal trade route was the Attari-Wagah border.

In the absence of air and land routes, shipping links between the two countries have a natural significance considering the fact that despite the suspension of formal trade between India and Pakistan since August 2019, Pakistan has continued to import select goods from India, primarily through informal channels or via third countries.

Pakistan’s major imports from India in 2023 as documented by the United Nations COMTRADE database were valued at approximately $258.2 million and included organic chemicals, pharmaceutical products, plastics and inorganic chemicals, precious metal compounds and isotopes.

Officially, Pakistan does not use a direct sea route to import goods from India since August 2019 but the Government of India says limited sea trade routes still persist.

Pakistan Broadcasters’ Association has stopped airing Indian songs on Pakistan FM radio stations

India has intensified its digital crackdown on Pakistani media outlets and blocked access to YouTube channel of Pakistan army’s media wing, ISPR.

The move follows national outrage over the Pahalgam massacre and rising concerns over the dissemination of propaganda by Pakistani state and non-state actors.

According to official sources, the government has reportedly urged platforms like YouTube, Instagram and X to ban all Pakistani handles from operating in India.

Visitors attempting to access the ISPR channel on YouTube are now greeted with a message stating: “This content is currently unavailable in this country because of an order from the government related to national security or public order.”

Apart from the ISPR, several more popular Pakistani drama channels on YouTube including ARY, Har Pal Geo and Hum TV have also been blocked by the Indian Government.

Several Pakistani celebrities’ Instagram handles, including Hania Aamir, Mahira Khan, Ali Zafar, Sanam Saeed, Bilal Abbas, Iqra Aziz, Imran Abbas and Sajal Aly, face the same restriction in India.

Earlier, 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, including Dawn News, Samaa TV, Ary News and Geo News, were banned for disseminating misinformation against India. According to the officials, the Pakistan YouTube channels were banned for spreading provocative and communally sensitive content, false and misleading narratives against India, Army and security agencies.

Meanwhile, in what is being seen as a retaliatory move by the neighbouring country, the Pakistan Broadcasters’ Association (PBA) has stopped airing Indian songs on Pakistan FM radio stations. Pakistan minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, in a letter to PBA, termed it as a “patriotic gesture”.

Malik was appointed as the director general of the Inter-Services Intelligence in October 2024

Pakistan has appointed spy chief Lt Gen Muhammad Asim Malik as the new National Security Adviser (NSA) amidst raging tension with India.

Malik was appointed as the director general of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in October 2024.

According to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division on Tuesday, General Malik was formally given the task of the NSA.

“Lt Gen Muhammad Asim Malik HI (M), DG (I), shall hold the additional charge of the National Security Adviser, with immediate effect,” the notification stated.

He is the country’s tenth NSA, but it is for the first time that a serving ISI chief was given the task to serve concurrently in the two key positions.The posting comes amid heightened tensions with India following the recent Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, in which 26 people were killed.

The NSA position had remained vacant since April 2022, when the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government was ousted.

Dr Moeed Yusuf was serving as the NSA at that time.