[🇵🇰] Everything about latest Kashmir attack

[Saif]

India, Pakistan and the Kashmir attack: What we know

Long-troubled relations between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan have rapidly worsened since a deadly attack in Kashmir targeting tourists that New Delhi blames on Islamabad, accusations it has firmly rejected.

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India, Pakistan and the Kashmir attack: What we know
AFP New Delhi
Published: 29 Apr 2025, 20: 56

Indian army patrols on way to Hapatnar in Anantnag district south of Kashmir on 29 April 2025. AFP

Long-troubled relations between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan have rapidly worsened since a deadly attack in Kashmir targeting tourists that New Delhi blames on Islamabad, accusations it has firmly rejected.

One week since the 22 April attack in which 26 men were killed, the deadliest on civilians in the disputed Himalayan territory in a quarter of a century, analysts worry furious rhetoric on either side may escalate into military retaliation.

What happened?

Gunmen attacked Indian holidaymakers enjoying picturesque Pahalgam, in a lush valley beneath snowcapped Himalayan peaks.

Survivors said the gunmen separated the men, asked several about their religion, and shot them at close range.

All 26 killed were Indian nationals, except one from Nepal. Most were Hindus. One was a Kashmiri Muslim who gave horse rides for tourists.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to pursue the killers "to the ends of the Earth".

Who were the attackers?

Indian police have identified two Pakistani nationals among the three fugitive alleged gunmen. The other is Indian.

Police say they are members of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), meaning the "Army of the Righteous", designated a terrorist organisation by the United Nations.

No group has claimed responsibility.

India accuses LeT of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, when 10 Islamist gunmen carried out a multi-day siege of the country's financial capital killing 166 people

New Delhi last week accused Islamabad of supporting "cross-border terrorism".

Pakistan has denied any role in the Pahalgam attack, rejecting Indian accusations as "frivolous" and saying it was open to a "neutral, transparent and credible" investigation.

What is the issue in Kashmir?

Muslim-majority Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence from British rule in 1947. Both claim the territory in full.

Rebels in the Indian-run area have waged an insurgency since 1989, seeking independence or a merger with Pakistan.

India has an estimated 500,000 soldiers deployed permanently in the territory.

India accuses Pakistan of funding the rebels and aiding their training. Islamabad denies the allegation, saying it only supports Kashmir's struggle for self-determination.

How has India responded?

New Delhi has also issued a raft of punitive diplomatic measures.

Those include suspending a water-sharing treaty, the closure of the main border crossing with Pakistan and downgrading diplomatic ties.

India has ordered all Pakistani nationals to leave the country, with the exception of remaining diplomats, by 29 April.

Security forces have conducted more than 2,000 detentions and interrogations, according to a police source.

The military also destroyed at least nine houses belonging to suspects, fueling the anger of some local officials and a section of the population who denounced it as "collective punishment".

India has also banned more than a dozen Pakistani YouTube channels for allegedly spreading "provocative" content.

How has Pakistan responded?

Pakistan hit back with tit-for-tat measures, including expelling New Delhi's diplomats, and cancelling visas for Indian nationals with the exception of Sikh pilgrims.

It also closed its airspace to Indian airlines.

Islamabad also warned it would regard any attempt by India to stop the supply of water from the headwaters of the Indus River as an "act of war".

Pakistan's defence minister has claimed to have "reinforced" its military to repulse any Indian aggression.

What will happen next?

Some fear that military action is now imminent.

The two countries have traded small arms fire across the Line of Control, the de facto border in contested Kashmir, for five consecutive nights.

The worst attack in recent years in Indian-run Kashmir was at Pulwama in 2019, when an insurgent rammed a car packed with explosives into a security forces convoy, killing 40 and wounding 35.

Indian fighter jets carried out air strikes on Pakistani territory 12 days later.​

 

[Saif]

Pakistan says it shot down Indian drone along Kashmir border

Pakistan's military shot down an Indian drone along the de facto Kashmir border, state radio in Islamabad reported on Tuesday, a week after the deadliest attack on civilians in the contested region in years.

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Pakistan says it shot down Indian drone along Kashmir border
AFP Islamabad
Updated: 29 Apr 2025, 17: 41

Pakistan's former Prime Minister and leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party Shehbaz Sharif AFP file photo

Pakistan's military shot down an Indian drone along the de facto Kashmir border, state radio in Islamabad reported on Tuesday, a week after the deadliest attack on civilians in the contested region in years.

The Indian army also said that both sides exchanged fire for a fifth straight night along the Line of Control (LoC), a heavily fortified zone of high-altitude Himalayan outposts.

There was no immediate confirmation from Pakistan on the exchange of fire but state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported that the military had shot down an Indian "quadcopter", calling it a violation of its airspace.

Relations between the nuclear-armed neighbours have plummeted after India accused Pakistan of backing an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22 in which 26 men were killed.

Islamabad has rejected the charge and both countries have since exchanged gunfire in Kashmir, diplomatic barbs, expelled citizens and ordered the border shut.

The unmanned Indian aircraft had attempted to conduct surveillance along the LoC in the Manawar Sector of the Bhimber area, the Radio Pakistan report said.

It did not say when the incident happened. There was no comment from New Delhi.

India said the "Pakistan Army resorted to unprovoked small arms firing across the Line of Control" overnight Monday to Tuesday. The gunfire took place in areas opposite Kupwara and Baramulla districts, as well as in the Akhnoor sector, it said.

The Indian army said its troops had "responded in a measured and effective manner to the provocation". There were no reports of casualties.

India has said Tuesday is the deadline for Pakistani citizens to leave.

'Exercise restraint'

Analysts say they fear bellicose statements will escalate into possible military action.

Muslim-majority Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence from British rule in 1947. Both claim the territory in full.

Rebels in the Indian-run area have waged an insurgency since 1989, seeking independence or a merger with Pakistan.

Indian police have issued wanted posters for three men -- two Pakistanis and an Indian -- who they say are members of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba group, a UN-designated terrorist organisation.

They have announced a two million rupee ($23,500) bounty for information leading to each man's arrest and carried out sweeping detentions seeking anyone suspected of links to the killers.

The United Nations has urged the arch-rivals to show "maximum restraint", while China, which shares a border with both India and Pakistan, on Tuesday repeated its call on both sides to "exercise restraint".

"Both India and Pakistan are important countries in South Asia. Their harmonious coexistence is crucial to the peace, stability and development of the region," foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said.

Iran has already offered to mediate and Saudi Arabia has said Riyadh was trying to "prevent an escalation".

US President Donald Trump downplayed tensions, saying on Friday the dispute will get "figured out, one way or another".​

 

[Saif]

Pakistan says intelligence suggests Indian military action likely soon

Pakistan said on Wednesday it has "credible intelligence" that India intends to launch military action soon, as tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours escalate following a deadly attack on tourists in Indian Kashmir. In the April 22 attack, the Islamist assailants segregated men, asked thei

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Pakistan says intelligence suggests Indian military action likely soon
REUTERS
Published :
Apr 30, 2025 21:44
Updated :
Apr 30, 2025 21:44

A Pakistan flag is seen on Pakistan Rangers' Post near the Attari-Wagah border crossing near Amritsar, India, April 26, 2025. India has suspended visa services to Pakistani nationals "with immediate effect" following an attack on tourists near Pahalgam in south Kashmir. Photo : REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis/Files

Pakistan said on Wednesday it has "credible intelligence" that India intends to launch military action soon, as tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours escalate following a deadly attack on tourists in Indian Kashmir.

In the April 22 attack, the Islamist assailants segregated men, asked their names and targeted Hindus before shooting them at close range in the Pahalgam area, killing 26 people, officials and survivors said.

India has identified the three attackers, including two Pakistani nationals, as "terrorists" waging a violent revolt in Muslim-majority Kashmir. Islamabad has denied any role and called for a neutral investigation.

Hindu-majority India accuses Islamic Pakistan of funding and encouraging militancy in Kashmir, the Himalayan region both nations claim in full but rule in part. Islamabad says it only provides moral and diplomatic support to a Kashmiri demand for self-determination.

The old rivals, born out of the partition of British colonial India in 1947, have taken measures against each other since the attack, with India putting the critical Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance and Pakistan closing its airspace to Indian airlines.

Pakistan said it had "credible intelligence" that India intends to carry out military action against it in the "next 24-36 hours on the pretext of baseless and concocted allegations of involvement in the Pahalgam incident".

India's foreign and defence ministries did not respond to requests for comment.

In a statement early on Wednesday, Islamabad said it condemned terrorism in all forms and will respond "assuredly and decisively" to any military action from India.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to pursue and punish the Pahalgam attackers.

India's cabinet committee on security (CCS), consisting of Modi and his interior, defence, foreign, home and finance ministers, also met on Wednesday, local media reported, its second session since the April 22 attack.

Modi told his military chiefs earlier this week that they have the freedom to decide the country's response to the Pahalgam attack, a government source said.

Small-arms fire between the two armies has spread to more points along the frontier between the two countries.

The Indian army said it responded to "unprovoked" firing from multiple Pakistani army posts around midnight on Tuesday, the sixth consecutive violation of their ceasefire agreement, but did not give further details or report any casualties.

The military operations' chiefs of the two countries also held their weekly conversation by phone on Tuesday, two Indian military sources and a Pakistani official with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

"The Indian side objected strongly to unprovoked firing happening from Pakistan," one Indian source said. The Pakistani official did not comment on the content of the conversation.

The Pakistani military did not respond to a request for comment.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in separate phone calls with India and Pakistan, stressed the need to "avoid a confrontation that could result in tragic consequences".

The United States has also urged the two not to escalate tensions. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to speak soon with his counterparts in India and Pakistan.

Britain has called for calm between its Indian and Pakistani communities, and advised against all travel to Jammu and Kashmir, with few exceptions.​

 

[Saif]

India closes airspace to Pakistan airlines

India shut its airspace to Pakistani airlines on Wednesday, the government said, days after its nuclear-armed neighbour banned Indian airlines from flying over its territory following the killing of 26 men in an attack on tourists in Kashmir. The ban on Pakistani aircraft will be from April 30 to

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

India closes airspace to Pakistan airlines
REUTERS
Published :
May 01, 2025 00:30
Updated :
May 01, 2025 00:30

India shut its airspace to Pakistani airlines on Wednesday, the government said, days after its nuclear-armed neighbour banned Indian airlines from flying over its territory following the killing of 26 men in an attack on tourists in Kashmir.

The ban on Pakistani aircraft will be from April 30 to May 23, according to a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued by the Indian government.​

 

[Saif]

Rubio to call India and Pakistan FMs, urge not to 'escalate'

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will urge his Indian and Pakistani counterparts not to escalate, his spokeswoman said Tuesday, as tensions soar between the arch-rivals after a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir. "We are reaching out to both parties and telling, of course, them to...

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Rubio to call India and Pakistan FMs, urge not to 'escalate'
AFP Washington
Updated: 30 Apr 2025, 18: 06

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio File photo

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will urge his Indian and Pakistani counterparts not to escalate, his spokeswoman said Tuesday, as tensions soar between the arch-rivals after a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir.

"We are reaching out to both parties and telling, of course, them to not escalate the situation," State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters.

"The secretary expects to speak with the foreign ministers of Pakistan and India as early as today or tomorrow," she said.

"He is encouraging other national leaders, other foreign ministers, to also reach out to the countries on this issue," she said.

The United States, which has close ties with India, initially had voiced solidarity after the April 22 attack in which gunmen killed 26 men in the tourism hub of Pahalgam.

Rubio's focus on diplomacy comes after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the army would enjoy "operational freedom" to respond to the attack.

India accuses Pakistan of backing the attack. Pakistan denies the charge but has long criticized Indian rule in divided, Muslim-majority Kashmir.​

 

[Saif]

‘Margin for error razor-thin’

Tensions between India and Pakistan, both nuclear-armed, have escalated since last week following a deadly terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir.

www.thedailystar.net

NEWS ANALYSIS: Indo-Pak tensions

‘Margin for error razor-thin’

Analysts say rivals eying ‘escalation dominance’, but any misstep may trigger a war

Tensions between India and Pakistan, both nuclear-armed, have escalated since last week following a deadly terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Amid war of words from both sides, analysts fear that though both the rivals are not an all-out war, any misstep might trigger a spiralling conflict between the neighbours.

Yesterday, Pakistan claimed India intends to launch military action within "the next 24–36 hours on the pretext of baseless and concocted allegations of involvement in the Pahalgam incident."

On April 22, gunmen killed 26 people in Indian-administered Kashmir, the disputed Himalayan region that has long strained relations between the two neighbours.

India identified three attackers, including two Pakistani nationals. Pakistan has denied involvement and called for a neutral investigation.

Since the attack, both nations have taken retaliatory measures: India has downgraded diplomatic ties, expelled Pakistani nationals and suspended the critical Indus Waters Treaty, and Pakistan has closed its airspace to Indian airlines.

On Tuesday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave the military "operational freedom" to respond, according to a senior government source. Modi also declared India had a "national resolve to deal a crushing blow to terrorism," the source told Agence France-Presse.

The day before, Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif told Reuters that a military incursion by India was imminent and that Pakistan had made "strategic decisions" in response.

He added that Pakistan was on high alert and would only consider using nuclear weapons if "there is a direct threat to our existence."

The crisis has also united political rivals in both countries.

In Pakistan, where political parties have recently criticised the military, the looming threat has galvanised public and political support for the armed forces.

In India, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, usually a vocal critic of Modi, stated that the opposition stood united in condemning the attack.

"Whatever steps the government wishes to take, we will fully support them," Gandhi said.

Modi faces intense domestic pressure to respond, as "criticism of the Indian government's perceived failure to protect civilians was also widespread," said Praveen Donthi, an analyst at the International Crisis Group.

Analysts suggest any conflict would focus on achieving "escalation dominance" --demonstrating superior force to shape future relations.

"India is not looking to escalate this crisis," said Yogesh Gupta, a former Indian ambassador, in the South China Morning Post.

"We only want to re-establish deterrence against Pakistan's terror strikes, as we did after Balakot," he added, referring to India's 2019 airstrike on a militant camp in northern Pakistan run by Jaish-e-Mohammed.

Gupta noted that Pakistan's current army chief, Asim Munir, is "far more hostile" than his predecessor, Qamar Bajwa, who had sought de-escalation after the 2019 strike. Thus, "this deterrence will need to be established at a much higher level," Gupta said.

Asfandyar Mir, a Washington-based South Asia security analyst, agreed that India and Pakistan are "moving toward a hot conflict, likely to be more intense than the 2019 crisis."

"The mood in India is one of vengeance, and Indian leadership appears committed to imposing an enormous cost on Pakistan," Mir said, while noting that Islamabad is "equally prepared to counter any Indian action and respond forcefully and swiftly."

"The situation [in 2019] was eventually defused, thanks in part to diplomatic pressure from Washington," said Donthi.

It's unclear how this crisis might unfold without such external intervention, said Christine Fair, a professor at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service.

Analysts warn that international mediation may be less likely this time than during previous flare-ups.

"The US is preoccupied with Ukraine, Gaza, and the Iran deal, possibly opening space for Beijing to insert itself," said Colin Clarke of the Soufan Center in New York.

However, "given China's close relationship with Pakistan, it is unlikely India would trust it as a neutral mediator."

"The US has been clear: Pakistan is on its own, and the US will not pressure India to hold back," Fair said.

Military analyst Boyko Nikolov said the crisis is "less about strategic victory and more about maintaining credible deterrence while managing domestic narratives."

Both sides are signalling "they can absorb a punch and strike back harder," but the real danger, he added, is a misstep -- such as a poorly calibrated strike or a terrorist attack attributed to the wrong actor -- that could "spiral beyond control."

"For now, both nations are posturing, but the margin for error is razor-thin," said Nikolov, editor-in-chief of BulgarianMilitary.com.​

 

[Saif]

Response to J&K Terror Attack: India gives forces ‘operational freedom’

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the country's military "operational freedom" to respond to a deadly attack in Kashmir last week, a senior government source told AFP yesterday, after New Delhi blamed it on arch-rival Pakistan.

www.thedailystar.net

Response to J&K Terror Attack: India gives forces ‘operational freedom’
Modi meets top security brass; Pak FM fears ‘imminent incursion’; UN calls for calm

Reuters file photo

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the country's military "operational freedom" to respond to a deadly attack in Kashmir last week, a senior government source told AFP yesterday, after New Delhi blamed it on arch-rival Pakistan.

A week after the deadliest attack on civilians in the contested region in years, Modi yesterday held a closed-door meeting with army and security chiefs, during which he told the armed forces that they had the "complete operational freedom to decide on the mode, targets and timing of our response to the terror attack", said the government source, who was not authorised to speak to the media.

The development came after Pakistan's defence minister said a military incursion by neighbouring India was imminent.

"We have reinforced our forces because it is something which is imminent now. So in that situation, some strategic decisions have to be taken, so those decisions have been taken," Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif told Reuters in an interview at his office in Islamabad on Monday.

Yesterday, New Delhi released video images of a stern-faced Modi meeting with army chiefs, as well as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.

"It is our national resolve to deal a crushing blow to terrorism," Modi said, adding that he has complete faith and confidence in the professional abilities of the Indian Armed Forces.

Earlier in the day, Indian Home Secretary Govind Mohan chaired a high-level meeting with the chiefs of three paramilitary forces and senior officers of other security organisations.

Sources said a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security and Political and Economic Affairs will be held, possibly today.

After the terror attack, Modi vowed to pursue the terrorists behind the attack and their patrons to the "ends of the earth" and inflict the harshest punishment on them.

Relations between the nuclear-armed neighbours have plummeted after India accused Pakistan of backing an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22 in which 26 men were killed.

Islamabad has denied any role and called for a neutral investigation. Both countries have since exchanged gunfire in Kashmir, diplomatic barbs, expelled citizens and ordered the border shut.

Yesterday, the Indian army said that both sides exchanged fire for a fifth straight night along the Line of Control (LoC), a heavily fortified zone of high-altitude Himalayan outposts.

There was no immediate confirmation from Pakistan on the exchange of fire, but state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported that the military had shot down an Indian "quadcopter", calling it a violation of its airspace.

The unmanned Indian aircraft had attempted to conduct surveillance along the LoC in the Manawar Sector of the Bhimber area, the Radio Pakistan report said.

It did not say when the incident happened. There was no comment from New Delhi.

Analysts say they fear bellicose statements will escalate into possible military action.

During his interview with Reuters, Asif said India's rhetoric was ramping up and that Pakistan's military had briefed the government on the possibility of an Indian attack. He did not go into further details on his reasons for thinking an incursion was imminent.

He said, although Pakistan was on high alert, it would only use its nuclear weapons if "there is a direct threat to our existence".

Meanwhile, Aqeel Malik, Pakistan's minister of state for law and justice, said Islamabad is preparing international legal action over India's suspension of the Indus water-sharing treaty.

He told Reuters late on Monday that Islamabad was working on plans for at least three different legal options, including raising the issue at the World Bank, the treaty's facilitator.

It was also considering taking action at the Permanent Court of Arbitration or at the International Court of Justice in the Hague where it could allege that India has violated the 1960 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, he said.

India last week suspended the World Bank-mediated Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 after the attack in Kashmir, saying it would last until "Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism".

The bellicose statements have prompted worries of a rapid spiral into military action, with several nations, including neighbouring China, calling for restraint and dialogue.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres yesterday held calls with Pakistan's prime minister and India's foreign minister to express "deep concern at rising tensions", his spokesman said.

The United Nations chief "underscored the need to avoid a confrontation that could result in tragic consequences. He offered his Good Offices to support de-escalation efforts," spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

During the call, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged the UN chief to "counsel India" to exercise restraint, his office said.

Iran has already offered to mediate, and Saudi Arabia has said Riyadh was trying to "prevent an escalation".

US President Donald Trump downplayed tensions, saying on Friday the dispute will get "figured out, one way or another".

Meanwhile, the government of India's Jammu and Kashmir territory has decided to shut 48 of the 87 tourist destinations in Kashmir and enhanced security at the remaining ones, according to a government document reviewed by Reuters.

Indian police have issued wanted posters for three men -- two Pakistanis and an Indian -- who they say are members of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba group, a UN-designated terrorist organisation.​

 

[Saif]

India asks IMF to review loans to Pakistan, Indian government source says

India has asked the International Monetary Fund to review loans disbursed to Pakistan, an Indian government source told Reuters on Friday, as tensions between the South Asian neighbours escalated following a deadly attack in Kashmir. India and Pakistan have announced a raft of measures after an

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

India asks IMF to review loans to Pakistan, Indian government source says
REUTERS
Published :
May 02, 2025 23:43
Updated :
May 02, 2025 23:43

India has asked the International Monetary Fund to review loans disbursed to Pakistan, an Indian government source told Reuters on Friday, as tensions between the South Asian neighbours escalated following a deadly attack in Kashmir.

India and Pakistan have announced a raft of measures after an attack on Hindu tourists in Indian Kashmir last week killed 26 men, and there is a fear that the latest crisis between the nuclear-armed rivals could spiral into a military conflict.

New Delhi has identified the three attackers, including two it says are Pakistani nationals, as "terrorists". Islamabad has denied any role and called for a neutral investigation.

India suspended a critical river water sharing treaty and the two countries have closed their airspace to each other's airlines.

Pakistan secured a $7 billion bailout programme from the IMF last year and was granted a new $1.3 billion climate resilience loan in March.

The programme is critical to the $350 billion economy, and Pakistan said it has stabilised under the bailout that helped it stave off a default threat.

India raised concerns with the IMF on its loans to Pakistan, asking for a review, a government source told Reuters without elaborating.

The IMF and India's finance ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The advisor to Pakistan's finance minister said the IMF programme is "well on track".

"The latest review has been done well and we are completely on track," advisor Khurram Schehzad, told Reuters, adding that Pakistan had very productive spring meetings with financial institutions in Washington.

"We did about 70 meetings ... interest has been very high for investing and supporting Pakistan as the economy turns around," Schehzad said.

The soaring tensions between the two countries has drawn global attention and calls for cooling tempers.

US. Vice President JD Vance said on Thursday that Washington hoped Pakistan would cooperate with India to hunt down Pakistan-based assailants.

Muslim-majority Kashmir is claimed in full by both Hindu-majority India and Islamic Pakistan, but each rules it in parts.

While New Delhi accuses Pakistan of backing an uprising in Indian Kashmir since 1989, Pakistan says it only offers diplomatic and moral support to a Kashmiri demand for self-determination.​

 

[Saif]

India blocks Pakistan PM’s YouTube channel

India on Friday blocked the YouTube channel of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif amid ongoing tension between the two countries following an attack in the Kashmir region. "The content is currently unavailable in this country because of an order from the government related to national security

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

India blocks Pakistan PM’s YouTube channel
FE ONLINE DESK
Published :
May 02, 2025 19:57
Updated :
May 02, 2025 19:57

India on Friday blocked the YouTube channel of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif amid ongoing tension between the two countries following an attack in the Kashmir region.

"The content is currently unavailable in this country because of an order from the government related to national security or public order. For more details about government removal requests, please visit the Google Transparency Report," read a message on the blocked channel.

Earlier this week, the Indian government blocked 16 Pakistani YouTube channels for allegedly disseminating ‘false, provocative and communally sensitive content’ about India.

The country also objected to the BBC's reportage on the attack.​

 

[Saif]

Pakistani Kashmir orders stockpiling of food as India tensions flare

Pakistan-administered Kashmir called on residents near the de facto border with the Indian side of the region to stockpile food on Friday as tensions flare between the arch-rivals following a deadly attack last month.

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Pakistani Kashmir orders stockpiling of food as India tensions flare
AFP Muzaffarabad, Pakistan
Published: 02 May 2025, 13: 54

This handout photograph taken on May 1, 2025 and released by the Pakistan's Inter Service Public Relation (ISPR) shows Pakistan's Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir (Top 3R) standS on military tank speaks with army troops to witness exercise 'Hammer Strike' a high-intensity field training exercise conducted by Pakistan Army’s Mangla Strike Corps at the Tilla Field Firing Ranges (TFFR) in Jhelum, Punjab province. AFP

Pakistan-administered Kashmir called on residents near the de facto border with the Indian side of the region to stockpile food on Friday as tensions flare between the arch-rivals following a deadly attack last month.

India blames Pakistan for the attack by gunmen on civilians at the tourist site of Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir on 22 April that killed 26 men. Islamabad has rejected the charge.

The two nuclear-armed countries have exchanged gunfire for eight consecutive nights along the militarised Line of Control, the de facto border, according to the Indian army, and the uneasy neighbours have issued a raft of tit-for-tat punitive diplomatic measures.

"Instructions have been issued to stock food supplies for two months in the 13 constituencies along the Line of Control (LoC)," the prime minister of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Chaudhry Anwar ul Haq, told the local assembly on Friday.

The regional government has also created an emergency fund of one billion rupees ($3.5 million) to ensure the supply of "food, medicines and all other basic necessities" to the 13 constituencies, he said.

Government and privately owned machinery was also being deployed to maintain roads in the areas along the LoC, he said.

The attack in Indian Kashmir and subsequent tensions, including expulsions and closed border crossings, have raised fears of a conflagration between India and Pakistan.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday gave the military "complete operational freedom" to respond to the attack.

Pakistan has denied any involvement and has said it has "credible evidence" that India is planning an imminent military strike, vowing that any attack would be met with a response.

Fearing a military escalation, authorities in Pakistani Kashmir shut more than 1,000 religious schools for 10 days on Thursday.

India and Pakistan, which both claim Kashmir in full, have fought over the Himalayan territory since the end of British rule in 1947.​