Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has issued a warning that India may be preparing for a military incursion, providing what he claims is "credible intelligence" that suggests an attack could occur within the next 24 to 36 hours. This alarming statement follows a deadly attack near Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir, where 26 tourists lost their lives last week. Indian authorities have accused Pakistan of harboring militants behind this tragedy, a charge Islamabad vehemently denies.
Tarar emphasized that India could be using this incident as a "false pretext" for military actions, vowing that Pakistan would respond "assuredly and decisively" to any aggression. The Indian foreign ministry has yet to respond, but the situation has drawn significant international concern, especially as both nations possess nuclear capabilities and have a lengthy history of conflict over the Kashmir region.
The violence in Kashmir continues to escalate, with reports of sporadic gunfire along the Line of Control as tension grows. Indian security forces have launched extensive operations in the region, apprehending over 1,500 individuals and demolishing the property of alleged militants, as authorities grapple with the aftermath of the attack that has been deemed one of the deadliest in two decades.
Kashmir, divided between India and Pakistan since their partition in 1947, has been a recurrent flashpoint, with both countries claiming the territory in full. Since the late 1980s, the region has been marred by an armed insurgency against Indian rule and has witnessed persistent violence, with both militants and security forces suffering heavy casualties.
Though the Indian authorities have named two Pakistani nationals among the suspects in the recent attack, there’s ongoing uncertainty about the identities and affiliations of the attackers, with conflicting claims from various groups. The incident has elicited outrage across India, prompting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to assert his government would pursue the perpetrators aggressively, promising severe repercussions for those involved.
As the international community watches closely, the escalating tensions between these two nuclear-armed neighbors continue to pose a potential flashpoint for broader conflict in South Asia.
