India and Pakistan begin ceasefire over Kashmir

Nuclear rivals India and Pakistan have begun a ceasefire along their frontier in the disputed Kashmir region, one of the most…

Nuclear rivals India and Pakistan have begun a ceasefire along their frontier in the disputed Kashmir region, one of the most heavily militarised and volatile borders in the world.

The new move to calm relations between the two nations, launched as Muslims on both sides celebrated their most important festival, appeared to be at least initially successful.

"We haven't fired a single bullet, nor has there been any report that India has fired," said a Pakistani army officer commanding the Chakothi sector, south of Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani Kashmir, on Wednesday.

An Indian army official said no firing was reported since the ceasefire went into effect at midnight Indian time (6:30 p.m. Irish time yesterday) on the Line of Control dividing Kashmir and positions on the Siachen glacier, the world's highest battleground.

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"The border is all quiet after the ceasefire was implemented," an Indian army spokesman told Reuters in Jammu, the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir state.

Indian and Pakistani troops, who are in close proximity at several places along the 742-km control line in Kashmir, usually exchange gunfire nearly every day.

The two countries have gone to war three times since they were carved out of British colonial India in 1947, twice over Muslim-dominated Kashmir, which they both claim.

Hours before the truce went into effect, the two sides traded artillery and machine gun fire, wounding three Pakistani children, police in the Pakistani part of Kashmir said.

The ceasefire came on the day the region celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr, the most important Muslim festival. Residents said it was the most peaceful Eid in over a decade.

"It's calm and quiet. There is a complete lull on the line of control," said Ghulam Sarwar, superintendent of police in Muzaffarabad.