Tensions between India and Pakistan have heightened following a claim by Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, who asserted that Islamabad possesses “credible intelligence” indicating that India might launch military actions against Pakistan within the next 24 to 36 hours. This alarming statement was made on social media amid calls for restraint from the US and China.
Tarar did not provide specific evidence to support the claim. His statement follows a brutal attack in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir, where 26 tourists were killed, prompting outrage in India, which accuses Pakistan of being involved. Islamabad denies these allegations and has proposed a neutral investigation into the incident.
The long-standing conflict over Kashmir, a region claimed in full by both nations but divided by a de facto border known as the Line of Control, has seen India and Pakistan engage in three wars since their independence from Britain. The fallout from last week’s attack has put Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi under significant pressure to respond decisively. In 2019, India conducted airstrikes in Pakistan following an attack that claimed the lives of Indian paramilitary personnel, marking a notable escalation in the region’s hostilities.
In response to the latest incident, Modi vowed to track the attackers “to the ends of the earth,” further intensifying fears of potential military action. Tarar warned that any military adventure by India would be met with a strong response from Pakistan.
Recently, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reached out to both nations’ leaders, urging them to de-escalate tensions while condemning the Pahalgam attack. Given India’s strategic importance to the US amid rising Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific, both nations hold critical significance in American foreign policy. On the other hand, China, which also claims part of Kashmir and has grown closer to Pakistan, has called for moderation from both sides.
In the aftermath of the attack in Kashmir, both countries quickly downgraded their diplomatic relations, with India cancelling visas for Pakistani nationals and Pakistan reciprocating. Both nations are urging their citizens to return home before the end of April. Additionally, India has suspended a crucial water-sharing treaty, which Islamabad has labelled an act of war.
As military posturing increases, Pakistan shot down an Indian drone, accusing it of espionage, while the Indian navy confirmed recent missile drills aimed at demonstrating readiness for long-range precision strikes. For six consecutive nights, there has also been exchanged gunfire along the Line of Control, indicating a persistent and unsettling state of conflict.