Pakistan said on Wednesday it possesses “credible intelligence” indicating that India is preparing to launch military action imminently, as tensions surge between the nuclear-armed neighbors following a deadly attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir.
The April 22 incident involved assailants reportedly targeting Hindu tourists in the Pahalgam area. Witnesses and officials stated the attackers “segregated men, asked their names and targeted Hindus before shooting them at close range,” resulting in 26 fatalities.
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In response, India has blamed the attack on three militants, including two identified as Pakistani nationals, and described them as “terrorists” involved in the ongoing insurgency in the Muslim-majority region of Kashmir. Pakistan has denied involvement and has called for “a neutral investigation.”
Amid heightened tensions, diplomatic and economic retaliation has escalated on both sides. India suspended visa services for Pakistani nationals “with immediate effect,” while Pakistan has shut its airspace to Indian carriers. India has also put the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance.
Islamabad has warned of imminent military escalation, stating it has “credible intelligence” that India plans to initiate military action “in the next 24-36 hours on the pretext of baseless and concocted allegations of involvement in the Pahalgam incident.”
India’s ministries of foreign affairs and defense have not commented on the allegation. However, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to track down and punish those behind the attack, telling military chiefs they have the “freedom to decide the country’s response to the Pahalgam attack,” according to a government source.
India’s top-level Cabinet Committee on Security, which includes Modi and the ministers of defense, home, interior, and finance, is scheduled to meet later on Wednesday. It will be the committee’s second session since the attack occurred.
Small arms exchanges between both militaries have increased along the border. The Indian army said it retaliated to “unprovoked” firing from multiple Pakistani posts around midnight on Tuesday, marking the sixth consecutive ceasefire violation. No casualties were reported. Pakistan’s military has yet to respond publicly.
Islamabad issued a statement reiterating its condemnation of terrorism “in all forms,” adding that it would respond “assuredly and decisively” to any Indian military action.
In an effort to reduce hostilities, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged both countries to “avoid a confrontation that could result in tragic consequences” during separate calls with Indian and Pakistani leadership.
The United States echoed similar concerns, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio expected to speak with both countries’ foreign ministers soon.
Meanwhile, Britain has urged calm among Indian and Pakistani communities and advised against all travel to Jammu and Kashmir, with limited exceptions.
India, a Hindu-majority nation, has long accused Pakistan of financing and supporting militants in the disputed Himalayan territory. Pakistan, in turn, insists it provides only “moral and diplomatic support” for Kashmiris seeking self-determination.
(Reuters)
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