[🇵🇰] Everything about latest Kashmir attack

[Saif]

Trump says India, Pakistan to settle dispute one way or another

US President Donald Trump on Friday downplayed concerns over mounting tensions between India and Pakistan, saying the dispute between the nuclear-armed neighbours will get ‘figured out, one way or another.’

www.newagebd.net

Trump says India, Pakistan to settle dispute one way or another
Agence France-Presse. Aboard Air Force One, Undefined 26 April, 2025, 06:24

US President Donald Trump | AFP Photo

US President Donald Trump on Friday downplayed concerns over mounting tensions between India and Pakistan, saying the dispute between the nuclear-armed neighbours will get ‘figured out, one way or another.’

Trump was asked aboard Air Force One about crumbling relations between India and Pakistan as the fallout deepens from a deadly attack on civilians by gunmen in Indian-administered Kashmir.

‘There have been tensions on that border for 1,500 years so, you know, it's the same as it has been,’ Trump told reporters.

‘But they'll get it figured out, one way or another.’

Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence in 1947, with both claiming the territory in full but governing separate portions of it.

Rebel groups have waged an insurgency in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989, demanding independence or a merger with Pakistan.

Tensions have flared since Tuesday, when 26 male tourists were killed by gunmen in the Kashmir town of Pahalgam.

Indian police say the three gunmen are members of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba group, a UN-designated terrorist organization.

A day after the attack, New Delhi suspended a water-sharing treaty, announced the closure of the main land border crossing with Pakistan, downgraded diplomatic ties, and withdrew visas for Pakistanis.

Denying any involvement, Islamabad called attempts to link Pakistan to the Pahalgam attack "frivolous" and vowed to respond to any Indian action.

Officials said Friday that there was an overnight exchange of fire between Indian and Pakistani forces at the Line of Control.

‘There's great tension between Pakistan and India but there always has been,’ Trump said.​

 

[Saif]

India, Pakistan and threats of a water war: what we know

India, furious after a deadly attack, has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan, with Islamabad warning any attempt to stop water flows would be considered an "act of war".

en.prothomalo.com

Kashmir attack
India, Pakistan and threats of a water war: what we know
AFP Srinagar, India
Updated: 26 Apr 2025, 18: 18

Pakistani citizens return to their country at the India-Pakistan Wagah border post on the outskirts of Amritsar on April 26, 2025. Pakistan and India are locked in an escalating diplomatic war of words after New Delhi said Islamabad was linked to a militant attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir this week. AFP

India, furious after a deadly attack, has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan, with Islamabad warning any attempt to stop water flows would be considered an "act of war".

The 65-year-old pact was considered a rare diplomatic success story between bitter nuclear-armed rivals who have fought multiple conflicts.

But one thing experts on both sides of the border agree on is that while important, its suspension will have limited immediate impact on water.

What happened?

The Indus River is one of the longest in Asia, cutting through ultra-sensitive demarcation lines between India and Pakistan in contested Muslim-majority Kashmir -- a Himalayan territory both countries claim in full.

New Delhi suspended its part in the treaty after gunmen in Indian-run Kashmir targeting tourists killed 26 men on 22 April.


India accused Pakistan of supporting "cross border terrorism", claims rejected by Islamabad.

Pakistan, which argues India is flouting international law, said it would respond with "full force" to any attempt to stop the water.

What is the treaty?

The 1960 treaty, negotiated by the World Bank over several years, ensured "equitable use" of six tributaries that feed the Indus river system.

The issue of water is deeply sensitive for both nations.

For parched Pakistan, the water is critical for consumption and agriculture.

Under the deal, it was agreed that India controls three eastern Indus tributaries outright -- the Ravi, the Sutlej and the Beas.

India has the unlimited right to use them for irrigation and power generation.

While most is used, water still flows to Pakistan, especially during the rainy season when dams are full.

Three western rivers -- the Chenab, Jhelum and Indus -- are allocated to Pakistan.

India however can exploit them for non-consumptive uses, such as hydroelectric power.

Indian dams under construction on the Chenab are expected to increase its use.

What impact does suspension have?

"In the short term, there may not be any direct practical implication", said Himanshu Thakkar, coordinator of the India-based South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People.

"Any safe infrastructure to divert water, beyond what is happening now, takes years, mostly more than a decade".

India's existing dams do not have the capacity to block or divert water.

"India cannot immediately stop the flow of these rivers, as it is technically unfeasible and economically not viable", Pakistan water expert Hassan Abbas said.

The treaty's most important role was a dispute resolution mechanism, but Thakkar argued that it was already "more or less in limbo" for several years.

Why, then, did India suspend it?

Praveen Donthi from the International Crisis Group, said India's action was more sabre-rattling rhetoric for New Delhi to show action in a manner that "the masses will understand".

"The public was asking for retaliation, but that military retaliation takes time," Donthi said.

"It may take a week, two weeks, but there was a need for an immediate reaction".

The Indian public will view it as "a collective punishment that's being imposed on Pakistan for the act", Donthi said.

Hindu-nationalist prime minister Narendra Modi had already threatened to use water as a weapon in 2016 after an attack in Indian-run Kashmir.

"Blood and water cannot flow together," he said at the time.

Is there a longer-term impact?

India's suspension letter sent to Pakistan also said there were "fundamental changes to the circumstances" since the deal was signed, including "population dynamics" as well as a "need to accelerate the development of clean energy".

The precious resource is being sucked up by increasing populations and surging agricultural requirements, as well as hydropower projects fuelled by rising energy needs.

Building further dams that could hinder the flow more significantly is a tough task in rugged mountain terrain, but not impossible.

The growing impacts of climate change, shifting weather systems and melting glaciers in the wider Himalaya region means water is becoming more valuable than ever.

Are there other consequences?

Pakistan's The Dawn newspaper also pointed out it was "not a cost-free move" for India.

It noted that China controls the headwaters of the Brahmaputra, the vast river key to India's northeast.

"By suspending the treaty and acting unilaterally, it sets a precedent that could one day be used against it", it read.​

 

[Saif]

Pakistan ready to 'defend sovereignty' after India threats

Pakistan's leader announced his readiness to defend the country on Saturday, after New Delhi blamed a deadly attack in Indian-run Kashmir on Islamabad, sending already fraught relations into a tailspin with soldiers exchanging gunfire across their contested frontier.

en.prothomalo.com

Kashmir attack
Pakistan ready to 'defend sovereignty' after India threats
AFP Islamabad
Updated: 26 Apr 2025, 18: 29

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

Pakistan's leader announced his readiness to defend the country on Saturday, after New Delhi blamed a deadly attack in Indian-run Kashmir on Islamabad, sending already fraught relations into a tailspin with soldiers exchanging gunfire across their contested frontier.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also called for a "neutral investigation", with India accusing Pakistan of supporting "cross-border terrorism" after gunmen carried out the worst attack on civilians in Kashmir for a quarter of a century.

Islamabad denies involvement in the 22 April attack on tourists in Pahalgam, where a gang of gunmen killed 26 men.

"Our valiant armed forces remain fully capable and prepared to defend the country's sovereignty," Sharif said at a military ceremony in Abbottabad.

Both sides have imposed a slew of diplomatic measures, and exchanged gunfire in Kashmir two times in as many days.

India's army said "unprovoked" small arms firing was carried out by "multiple" Pakistan army posts overnight.

"Indian troops responded appropriately with small arms," it said in a statement, adding that no casualties were reported.

There was no immediate confirmation from Pakistan, but both sides had confirmed gunfire between their respective forces the previous night.

The United Nations has urged the neighbours, which have fought multiple wars, to show "maximum restraint".

Iran's foreign ministry said Saturday that Tehran has offered to play mediator, a day after a senior Saudi official said Riyadh was trying to "prevent an escalation".

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

'Track and punish'

Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence in 1947. Both claim the territory in full but govern separate portions of it.

Rebel groups have waged an insurgency in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989, demanding independence or a merger with Pakistan.

Indian security forces have launched a giant manhunt for those responsible for the attack in Pahalgam, with police naming two Pakistani nationals among the fugitives.

Indian police say three of the gunmen are members of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba group, a UN-designated terrorist organisation, and issued a bounty for their arrest.

Indian troops blew up homes in Kashmir in their search and issued wanted posters with sketches of three men.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said his country would "track and punish every terrorist and their backer", vowing to "pursue them to the ends of the Earth".

Pakistan's Sharif said the country was "open to participating in any neutral, transparent and credible investigation" in the attack.

A day after the attack, New Delhi suspended a water-sharing treaty, announced the closure of the main land border crossing with Pakistan, downgraded diplomatic ties, and withdrew visas for Pakistanis.

Islamabad in response ordered the expulsion of Indian diplomats and military advisers, cancelling visas for Indian nationals -- with the exception of Sikh pilgrims -- and closing the main border crossing from its side.

Pakistan also warned that any attempt by India to stop water supplies from the Indus River would be an "act of war".

At the frontier, created at the end of British rule when the sub-continent was partitioned into Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan, distraught citizens crossed.

The measures have abruptly ended rare visits to see relatives separated for generations by the border.

Among those at the Wagah border leaving Pakistan was 39-year-old Ghaffar Musafir, who was returning to his home in Indian-administered Kashmir.

"I'm Indian. I love India, but my family is here," he said. "And it's not like I hate Pakistan. I love Pakistan too."

Pahalgam marks a dramatic shift in recent Kashmiri rebel attacks, which typically target Indian security forces.

Experts say that an Indian military response may still be in the pipeline.

In 2019, a suicide attack killed 41 Indian troops in Kashmir and triggered Indian air strikes inside Pakistan, bringing the countries to the brink of all-out war.​

 

[Saif]

INDIA-PAKISTAN TENSION: KSA, Iran push for peace as gunfire traded again

Iran and Saudi Arabia sought to defuse India-Pakistan’s ongoing crisis as mediators while US president Donald Trump termed the tension as 1,500-years-old problem.

www.newagebd.net

INDIA-PAKISTAN TENSION: KSA, Iran push for peace as gunfire traded again
Trump says 1,500-yr-old crisis

Agence France-Presse . Islamabad, Pakistan 27 April, 2025, 00:12

File photo

Iran and Saudi Arabia sought to defuse India-Pakistan’s ongoing crisis as mediators while US president Donald Trump termed the tension as 1,500-years-old problem.

Iran has offered Pakistan to act as a mediator in its conflict with India, Tehran’s foreign ministry said Saturday while Saudi Arabia is trying to defuse tensions between the neighbouring countries, after a deadly attack in the disputed Kashmir region, a senior Saudi official told AFP on Friday.

‘The Kingdom is undertaking efforts to prevent an escalation between India and Pakistan,’ the senior Saudi official said, on condition of anonymity. ‘The two countries are allies of Saudi Arabia and we do not want the situation to get out of control.’

Saudi foreign minister Faisal bin Farhan has held separate phone calls with his Indian and Pakistani counterparts, his office said on Friday.

During the discussions, he ‘reviewed developments in the situation and efforts made to ease tensions’.

Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi ‘declared Iran’s readiness to extend its goodwill efforts to help reduce tensions’ in a phone call Friday with his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar. Araghchi said on X that his country was ‘ready to use its good offices’ to resolve the conflict.

US president Donald Trump on Friday downplayed concerns over mounting tensions between India and Pakistan, saying the dispute between the nuclear-armed neighbours will get ‘figured out, one way or another.’

Trump was asked aboard Air Force One about crumbling relations between India and Pakistan. ‘There have been tensions on that border for 1,500 years so, you know, it’s the same as it has been,’ Trump told reporters. ‘But they’ll get it figured out, one way or another.’

‘There’s great tension between Pakistan and India but there always has been,’ Trump said.

Indian and Pakistani troops exchanged gunfire overnight along the Line of Control that separates the two countries in contested Kashmir for a second day running, the Indian army said Saturday.

India’s army said ‘unprovoked’ small arms firing was carried out by ‘multiple’ Pakistan army posts ‘all across the Line of Control in Kashmir’ overnight from Friday to Saturday.

‘Indian troops responded appropriately with small arms,’ it said in a statement. ‘No casualties reported.’

There was no immediate confirmation from Pakistan, but the two sides had confirmed gunfire between their respective forces the previous night.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s leader said his nation was open to a neutral investigation on Saturday into a deadly attack in Indian-run Kashmir that New Delhi blames on Islamabad, and that has sent fraught relations into a tailspin with soldiers exchanging gunfire across their contested frontier.

Islamabad denies involvement in the April 22 attack on tourists in Pahalgam, where a gang of gunmen killed 26 men in the worst attack on civilians in Kashmir for a quarter of a century.

But India is adamant in it is accusation that Pakistan is supporting ‘cross-border terrorism’.

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.

Rejecting Indian claims, Pakistan’s prime minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said the country was ‘open to participating in any neutral, transparent and credible investigation’ into the attack.

Indian security forces have launched a giant manhunt for those responsible for the attack in Pahalgam, blowing up homes in Kashmir of Indian citizens suspected to be linked to the attack.

‘Our valiant armed forces remain fully capable and prepared to defend the country’s sovereignty,’ Sharif said at a military ceremony in Abbottabad.

Inda’s information ministry on Saturday warned broadcasters to ‘refrain from showing live coverage of defence operations’ in the ‘interest of national security’, and referencing the 1999 Kargil conflict with Pakistan.

The United Nations has urged the neighbours, which have fought multiple wars, to show ‘maximum restraint’.

Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence in 1947. Both claim the territory in full but govern separate portions of it.

Rebel groups have waged an insurgency in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989, demanding independence or a merger with Pakistan.​

 

[Saif]

A call for restraint

India-Pakistan tensions must not be allowed to escalate further

www.thedailystar.net

A call for restraint
India-Pakistan tensions must not be allowed to escalate further

We are deeply concerned by the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, as both countries exchanged fire across the Line of Control in disputed Kashmir, following the recent terrorist attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam that resulted in the deaths of 26 tourists. As the Indian government has accused its long-standing adversary, Pakistan, of supporting "cross-border terrorism," relations between the two countries have plunged to their lowest level in years. Denying any involvement, Pakistan called the Indian attempts to link Pakistan to the Pahalgam attack "frivolous" and vowed to respond to any Indian action. Both nations have since introduced a series of retaliatory measures against each other. While we strongly condemn this heinous attack in Kashmir—the worst of its kind in a quarter of a century—and expect those responsible to be brought to justice, we also urge both countries to refrain from actions that could escalate the situation.

Reportedly, India has taken some strong measures following the attack. It has formally informed Pakistan of its decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty of 1961, closed the main land border crossing, downgraded diplomatic ties, and revoked visas for Pakistanis. Indian Home Minister Amit Shah also urged state chief ministers to ensure that no Pakistani remains in India beyond April 27. In response, Pakistan has closed its airspace to Indian airlines, expelled Indian diplomats and military advisers, cancelled visas for Indian nationals (except Sikh pilgrims), and shut down its side of the main border crossing.

It goes without saying that any further escalation will have far-reaching consequences for both nations. And it will be particularly disastrous for the economy of Kashmir, which is heavily dependent on tourism.

The UN has emphasised that issues between the two nations should be resolved peacefully through meaningful mutual engagement, a view we strongly support. A proper and thorough investigation is essential to identify and punish those involved in the recent terrorist attacks. However, even before such an investigation is carried out statements from India's water resources minister, pledging that "not even a drop" of water would go to Pakistan, and Pakistan's warning that halting the water supply from the Indus River would be an "act of war," are deeply concerning.

We hope both these nuclear-armed nations will renounce retaliatory actions and resolve their disputes at the negotiating table. With Pakistan reportedly proposing an international investigation and expressing willingness to cooperate, India should consider such an initiative. Finally, we urge both nations to avoid actions that could destabilise the entire region and instead focus on diplomatic solutions for the greater benefit of both sides.​

 

[Krishna with Flute]

Pakistan ready to 'defend sovereignty' after India threats

Pakistan's leader announced his readiness to defend the country on Saturday, after New Delhi blamed a deadly attack in Indian-run Kashmir on Islamabad, sending already fraught relations into a tailspin with soldiers exchanging gunfire across their contested frontier.

en.prothomalo.com

Kashmir attack
Pakistan ready to 'defend sovereignty' after India threats
AFP Islamabad
Updated: 26 Apr 2025, 18: 29

View attachment 16874

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

Pakistan's leader announced his readiness to defend the country on Saturday, after New Delhi blamed a deadly attack in Indian-run Kashmir on Islamabad, sending already fraught relations into a tailspin with soldiers exchanging gunfire across their contested frontier.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also called for a "neutral investigation", with India accusing Pakistan of supporting "cross-border terrorism" after gunmen carried out the worst attack on civilians in Kashmir for a quarter of a century.

Islamabad denies involvement in the 22 April attack on tourists in Pahalgam, where a gang of gunmen killed 26 men.

"Our valiant armed forces remain fully capable and prepared to defend the country's sovereignty," Sharif said at a military ceremony in Abbottabad.

Both sides have imposed a slew of diplomatic measures, and exchanged gunfire in Kashmir two times in as many days.

India's army said "unprovoked" small arms firing was carried out by "multiple" Pakistan army posts overnight.

"Indian troops responded appropriately with small arms," it said in a statement, adding that no casualties were reported.

There was no immediate confirmation from Pakistan, but both sides had confirmed gunfire between their respective forces the previous night.

The United Nations has urged the neighbours, which have fought multiple wars, to show "maximum restraint".

Iran's foreign ministry said Saturday that Tehran has offered to play mediator, a day after a senior Saudi official said Riyadh was trying to "prevent an escalation".

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

'Track and punish'

Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence in 1947. Both claim the territory in full but govern separate portions of it.

Rebel groups have waged an insurgency in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989, demanding independence or a merger with Pakistan.

Indian security forces have launched a giant manhunt for those responsible for the attack in Pahalgam, with police naming two Pakistani nationals among the fugitives.

Indian police say three of the gunmen are members of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba group, a UN-designated terrorist organisation, and issued a bounty for their arrest.

Indian troops blew up homes in Kashmir in their search and issued wanted posters with sketches of three men.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said his country would "track and punish every terrorist and their backer", vowing to "pursue them to the ends of the Earth".

Pakistan's Sharif said the country was "open to participating in any neutral, transparent and credible investigation" in the attack.

A day after the attack, New Delhi suspended a water-sharing treaty, announced the closure of the main land border crossing with Pakistan, downgraded diplomatic ties, and withdrew visas for Pakistanis.

Islamabad in response ordered the expulsion of Indian diplomats and military advisers, cancelling visas for Indian nationals -- with the exception of Sikh pilgrims -- and closing the main border crossing from its side.

Pakistan also warned that any attempt by India to stop water supplies from the Indus River would be an "act of war".

At the frontier, created at the end of British rule when the sub-continent was partitioned into Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan, distraught citizens crossed.

The measures have abruptly ended rare visits to see relatives separated for generations by the border.

Among those at the Wagah border leaving Pakistan was 39-year-old Ghaffar Musafir, who was returning to his home in Indian-administered Kashmir.

"I'm Indian. I love India, but my family is here," he said. "And it's not like I hate Pakistan. I love Pakistan too."

Pahalgam marks a dramatic shift in recent Kashmiri rebel attacks, which typically target Indian security forces.

Experts say that an Indian military response may still be in the pipeline.

In 2019, a suicide attack killed 41 Indian troops in Kashmir and triggered Indian air strikes inside Pakistan, bringing the countries to the brink of all-out war.​

We shall know very shortly whether Pakistan is able to defend itself or not.

 

[Saif]

India and Pakistan troops exchange fire in Kashmir for the third day

Troops from Pakistan and India exchanged fire in disputed Kashmir for a third night in a row, officials said Sunday, as relations between the nuclear-armed rivals plunged to their lowest level in years.

en.prothomalo.com

India and Pakistan troops exchange fire in Kashmir for the third day
AFP Srinagar
Updated: 27 Apr 2025, 13: 11

An Indian Border Security Force (BSF) personnel stands guard as Pakistani citizens return to their country through the India-Pakistan Attari-Wagah border post, about 35kms from Amritsar on 26 April, 2025, after New Delhi withdrew visas for Pakistanis and Islamabad in response cancelled visas of Indian nationals. AFP

Troops from Pakistan and India exchanged fire in disputed Kashmir for a third night in a row, officials said Sunday, as relations between the nuclear-armed rivals plunged to their lowest level in years.

India has accused Pakistan of supporting "cross-border terrorism" after gunmen carried out the worst attack on civilians in contested Muslim-majority Kashmir for a quarter of a century.

Islamabad has denied any involvement, calling attempts to link Pakistan to the attack "frivolous" and vowing to respond to any Indian action.

Indian security forces have launched a massive manhunt for those responsible for killing 26 men at a tourist hotspot in Pahalgam on 22 April.

The Indian military said on Sunday there had been "unprovoked" firing of small arms "initiated by Pakistan" along the Line of Control that separates the two countries.

"(Our) own troops responded effectively with appropriate small arms fire," it added. Pakistan has not yet confirmed the latest exchange of fire.

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.

India's federal home ministry handed over the attack probe to the National Investigation Agency, which focuses on counter-terrorism.

The agency was examining eyewitnesses, scrutinising entry and exit points, besides collecting forensic evidence.

"The eyewitnesses are being questioned in minute detail to piece together the sequence of events that led to one of the worst terror attacks in Kashmir," it said in a statement.

Houses bombed

Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence in 1947. Both claim the territory in full but govern separate portions of it.

Rebel groups have waged an insurgency in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989, demanding independence or a merger with Pakistan.

On Saturday, soldiers in Indian-administered Kashmir bombed the family home of one of the Pahalgam suspects.

The house of Farooq Ahmad Tadwa was destroyed by authorities in Kupwara district, one of a series of demolitions targeting houses of alleged militants.

So far nine houses belonging to militants have been bombed since the Pahalgam attack, a police official told AFP on Sunday on condition of anonymity.

In the aftermath of the Kashmir attack, New Delhi suspended a water-sharing treaty, announced the closure of the main land border crossing with Pakistan, downgraded diplomatic ties, and withdrew visas for Pakistanis.

In response, Islamabad has ordered the expulsion of Indian diplomats and military advisers, cancelling visas for Indian nationals -- with the exception of Sikh pilgrims -- and closing the main border crossing from its side.

The United Nations has urged the arch-rivals to show "maximum restraint" so that issues can be "resolved peacefully through meaningful mutual engagement".

Pahalgam marks a dramatic shift in recent Kashmiri rebel attacks, which typically target Indian security forces. Analysts say that an Indian military response may still be in the pipeline.

"There will be military retaliation and we are prepared. We are discussing the nature of the strike," the Indian Express newspaper quoted a top government source as saying on Sunday.

In 2019, a suicide attack killed 41 Indian troops in Kashmir and triggered Indian air strikes inside Pakistan, bringing the countries to the brink of all-out war.​

 

[Saif]

Pakistan defence minister says military incursion by India is imminent

Pakistan's defence minister said on Monday that a military incursion by neighbouring India was imminent in the aftermath of a deadly militant attack on tourists in Kashmir last week, as tensions rise between the two nuclear-armed nations. The militant attack killed 26 people and

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Pakistan defence minister says military incursion by India is imminent
REUTERS
Published :
Apr 28, 2025 20:57
Updated :
Apr 28, 2025 20:57

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. REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis

Pakistan's defence minister said on Monday that a military incursion by neighbouring India was imminent in the aftermath of a deadly militant attack on tourists in Kashmir last week, as tensions rise between the two nuclear-armed nations.

The militant attack killed 26 people and triggered outrage in Hindu-majority India, along with calls for action against Muslim-majority Pakistan. India accuses Pakistan of backing militancy in Kashmir, a region both claim and have fought two wars over.

"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.

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.

After the Kashmir attack, India identified two suspected militants as Pakistani. Islamabad has denied any role and called for a neutral investigation.

Asif said Pakistan was on high alert and that it would only use its arsenal of nuclear weapons if "there is a direct threat to our existence".​

 

[Saif]

China urges India, Pakistan to exercise restraint

China on Monday urged India and Pakistan to ‘exercise restraint’ as the two countries reportedly exchanged fire at the Line of Control for a fourth night in a row in the wake of a deadly attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam, reports DAWN.com.

www.newagebd.net

PAHALGAM ATTACK

China urges India, Pakistan to exercise restraint
New Age Desk 28 April, 2025, 23:59

China on Monday urged India and Pakistan to ‘exercise restraint’ as the two countries reportedly exchanged fire at the Line of Control for a fourth night in a row in the wake of a deadly attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam, reports DAWN.com.

The April 22 attack killed 26 people, mostly tourists, and was one of the deadliest armed attacks in the disputed Himalayan region since 2000. Kashmir Resistance, also known as The Resistance Front, said it ‘unequivocally’ denied involvement in the attack, after an initial message that claimed responsibility.

India, without offering any evidence, has implied cross-border linkages of the attackers, while Pakistan has strongly denied any involvement. Prime minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for a neutral probe into the incident.

‘China hopes that the two sides will exercise restraint, meet each other halfway, properly handle relevant differences through dialogue and consultation and jointly maintain regional peace and stability,’ foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said.

‘China welcomes all measures that will help cool down the situation,’ Jiakun told a regular press briefing.

The statement came after Pakistan and India reportedly exchanged gunfire for a fourth night in a row across the LoC, after four years of relative calm.

On Thursday, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi vowed to pursue the attackers to the ‘ends of the earth’ and said that those who planned and carried out the attack ‘will be punished beyond their imagination’.

Calls have also grown from Indian politicians and others for military action against Pakistan.

Defence minister Khawaja Asif on Friday said Pakistan was ‘ready to cooperate’ in an international probe into the Pahalgam attack, but also warned of an ‘all-out war’ if India carried out any attack on Pakistan.

The United Nations has urged the arch-rivals to show ‘maximum restraint’ so that issues can be ‘resolved peacefully through meaningful mutual engagement’.

US in touch with India and Pakistan, urges work toward ‘responsible solution’

China’s call for restraint added to the United States’ statement from Sunday, urging India and Pakistan to work towards what it called a ‘responsible solution’, as Washington said it was in touch with both countries.

‘This is an evolving situation and we are monitoring developments closely. We have been in touch with the governments of India and Pakistan at multiple levels,’ a US State Department spokesperson told Reuters in an emailed statement.

‘The United States encourages all parties to work together towards a responsible resolution,’ the spokesperson added.

The State Department spokesperson also said Washington ‘stands with India and strongly condemns the terrorist attack in Pahalgam’, reiterating comments similar to recent ones made by US president Donald Trump and vice president JD Vance.

In public, the US government has expressed support for India after the attack but has not criticised Pakistan. While Saudi Arabia and Iran have offered to mediate, Trump last week said he was confident that India and Pakistan would ‘get it figured out’.

India is an increasingly important US partner as Washington aims to counter China’s rising influence in Asia while Pakistan remains a US ally, even as its importance for Washington has diminished after the 2021 US withdrawal from neighbouring Afghanistan.

Michael Kugelman, a Washington-based South Asia analyst and writer for the Foreign Policy magazine, said India is now a much closer US partner than Pakistan.

‘This may worry Islamabad that if India retaliates militarily, the US may sympathise with its counterterrorism imperatives and not try to stand in the way,’ Kugelman told Reuters.

Kugelman also said that given Washington’s involvement and on-going diplomatic efforts in Russia’s war in Ukraine and Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, the Trump administration is ‘dealing with a lot on its global plate’ and may leave India and Pakistan on their own, at least in the early days of the tensions.

Hussain Haqqani, a former Pakistan ambassador to the US and a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute think tank, also said that there seemed to be no US appetite to calm the situation at this moment.​

 

[Saif]

Modi grants Indian military ‘full freedom’ to respond to Kashmir attack

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the armed forces “full operational freedom” to decide how and when to respond to the recent attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam. Bdnews24.com, citing NDTV, reported on Tuesday that Modi described the response as “the nation

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Modi grants Indian military ‘full freedom’ to respond to Kashmir attack
Published :
Apr 29, 2025 23:16
Updated :
Apr 29, 2025 23:16

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the armed forces “full operational freedom” to decide how and when to respond to the recent attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam.

Bdnews24.com, citing NDTV, reported on Tuesday that Modi described the response as “the nation's resolve to deal a crushing blow to terrorism” and expressed “complete faith and confidence” in the Indian military.

The Indian broadcaster said the prime minister held a high-level meeting at his residence on Tuesday with Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, and the chiefs of the three armed forces.

The 90-minute meeting was followed by visits from Indian Home Minister Amit Shah and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat to the prime minister’s residence.

According to NDTV, Modi’s message effectively greenlights a military response to the attack, the deadliest since Pulwama in 2019, for which India had previously conducted airstrikes in Pakistan’s Balakot.

The recent Pahalgam assault has been linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, a banned Pakistan-based militant group, while its proxy organisation, The Resistance Front, has claimed responsibility.

Indian security agencies said available evidence once again pointed to Pakistan’s involvement.

Diplomats from the US, Russia, China, Japan, and several European countries have reportedly been briefed.

India has already begun applying diplomatic pressure. NDTV said Delhi has revoked all visas for Pakistani nationals except for Pakistani Hindus and those with long-term residency approvals.

Medical visas have also been cancelled. Nearly 1,000 Pakistani citizens reportedly left India after the order came into effect, causing long queues at border crossings such as Attari-Wagah.

State governments were instructed to enforce the order directly by Home Minister Amit.

As part of broader retaliatory measures, India also suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, a key agreement signed in 1960 that provides Pakistan with nearly 85 per cent of its water supply.

The move was met with outrage in Islamabad, which called it “an act of war”.

In response, Pakistan cancelled visas for Indian nationals and placed multiple bilateral agreements, including the Simla Agreement, on hold.

A top Pakistani defence official Khawaja Muhammad Asif warned the country’s media that the coming days were “crucial”, further increasing tensions.

Broadcasts of his comments on Geo News were subsequently banned on Indian platforms.

In his public comments, Prime Minister Modi vowed that India would not allow “terrorism’s evil agenda” to succeed. “The time has come to raze whatever is left of the terror haven. The will of 140 crores will break the back of the masters of terror,” he said.

He also warned that India would hold accountable not just the attackers, but those who plotted the killings.​