Calm returns to Kashmir, but ceasefire brings little assurance of lasting peace

Srinagar: After days of high tension marked by the ominous roar of fighter aircrafts and buzzing drones, the Kashmir Valley witnessed a semblance of normalcy on Sunday.

Markets reopened across towns, and Srinagar’s iconic Sunday flea market thronged with shoppers — a visible sigh of relief after a week overshadowed by cross-border hostilities between India and Pakistan.

The uneasy calm follows a ceasefire agreement reached Saturday evening along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border, after Indian armed forces struck terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on the intervening night of May 6 and May 7.

In retaliation, Pakistan launched a barrage of missiles and drone attacks across Jammu and Kashmir till Saturday night when the two countries announced a sudden ceasefire believed to be brokered by the US.

In Srinagar, vendors at the weekly market reported decent sales after a week of near-paralysis. “People were hesitant to step out until yesterday. But today, they’re out again, buying, bargaining — it feels like a typical Srinagar Sunday,” said Fayaz Dar, who sells second-hand clothes.

Rafiq Mir, shopping for clothes with his two children, said the fear still lingers. “The sound of jets and drones over the past few days terrified us. It felt like war was imminent. Today it feels a bit safer, so I’ve stepped out with my kids,” he said.

Though children were seen playing in public parks and city roads were busy again, the underlying tension remains. Schools remain shut till Tuesday due to a gazetted holiday on Monday, and residents are cautious despite the relative calm.

Skepticism over the durability of the ceasefire is widespread. “We’ve seen such peace announcements before — followed by renewed shelling within days,” said Mir. His concern echoes among many in the valley, especially after dozens of drones were reportedly seen flying over the valley even after the ceasefire was announced — a possible violation of the agreement.

“There were rockets and drones overhead late into the night. What kind of ceasefire is this?” said a retired schoolteacher in Baramulla who didn’t wish to be named. “We are tired of temporary peace. We want something that lasts.”

However, for now, the people of Kashmir are trying to reclaim a sense of routine—one day at a time.