India Conducts Civil Defence Mock Drills Amid Rising Tensions with Pakistan
Civil Defence Exercises Ordered by Home Ministry
On Monday, the Union home ministry instructed various states to carry out mock drills on Wednesday aimed at enhancing civil defence preparedness, as reported by unidentified officials.
This initiative will include testing air raid sirens, educating civilians and students on self-protection, implementing blackout protocols, camouflaging critical locations, and rehearsing updated evacuation strategies in response to potential “hostile events.”
Previously, a 30-minute blackout drill took place in the Ferozement cantonment area of Punjab, situated near the Pakistan border, as noted by a local news outlet.
This drill, overseen by the Board’s Chief Executive Officer and the Station Commander, was executed from 9 PM to 9:30 PM.
These actions come in light of escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following a recent terror attack in Pahalgam.
The incident on April 22 in the Baisaran area resulted in 26 fatalities and 17 injuries, with terrorists targeting tourists based on their religious identities, according to police reports. Only three of the deceased were not Hindu.
In the aftermath, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, a 1960 agreement regarding water distribution, citing Pakistan’s backing of ongoing cross-border terrorism. This suspension could significantly impact the flow of Indus River waters into Pakistan, affecting millions of people.
Additionally, India revoked all visas granted to Pakistani nationals and mandated the departure of those already present in the country, including those on medical visas.
On Wednesday, India also closed its airspace to all aircraft registered, operated, or leased by Pakistan.
In response, Pakistan has threatened to annul all bilateral agreements with India, including the 1972 Simla Agreement, which recognized the Line of Control as the de facto boundary in much of Jammu and Kashmir.
Since the terror attack, the Pakistan Army has repeatedly breached the ceasefire along the Line of Control, prompting retaliatory measures from the Indian Army.