Even after India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire on May 10, following four days of high-stakes military confrontation, both sides are still rattling sabres. Newspapers in both countries have depicted their respective prime ministers with fists raised and eyes blazing.

Some details are clouded by contradictory statements and disinformation. But a pattern of rapid escalation brought the conflict to the brink of catastrophe.

At 2.09 a.m. on Saturday, Ahmad Subhan, who lives near an air base in the Pakistan military garrison city of Rawalpindi, heard the first explosion that rattled the windows of his house - and took South Asia to the brink of war.