 |
| Pakistan alleges India is preparing a near-term military strike. |
Tensions Surge as Pakistan Warns of Imminent Indian Military Strike
DECK
Islamabad cites ‘credible intelligence’ suggesting New Delhi may launch a cross-border attack within 36 hours following Kashmir massacre that left 26 dead.
KEY FACTS
What: Pakistan alleges India is preparing a near-term military strike.
-
Where: Border region surrounding Indian-administered Kashmir.
-
When: Within 24–36 hours from the intelligence report.
-
Trigger: Deadliest attack on civilians in Kashmir in 20 years—26 Hindu tourists killed.
-
Accusation: India blames Pakistan for harboring militants; Islamabad denies.
-
Response: Pakistan vows firm retaliation against any military action.
SITUATION SNAPSHOT
Mounting anxiety grips South Asia as the specter of another military confrontation looms over the volatile Kashmir region. With guns intermittently crackling across the Line of Control and mass arrests underway, Islamabad’s dramatic claim that India may launch a strike has jolted both capitals.
WHAT WE KNOW
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar stated the country possesses “credible intelligence” indicating that India is poised to carry out a military operation within the next 24 to 36 hours. He accused India of using the recent bloodshed in Pahalgam as a “false pretext” for aggression and warned: “any such military adventurism by India would be responded to assuredly and decisively.”
The warning follows India’s accusation that Pakistan supported militants behind the massacre of 26 Hindu tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir last week—a claim Islamabad has categorically denied.
The incident, described as the most lethal civilian attack in the disputed territory in two decades, occurred near Pahalgam, a scenic town popular with pilgrims and travelers.
Following the attack, Indian authorities intensified their crackdown, detaining over 1,500 individuals for questioning. Since then, several more have been taken into custody, though exact figures remain unclear. Security forces also razed the homes of at least 10 suspected militants, one of whom was allegedly connected to the attack.
Indian police have identified three suspects: two Pakistani nationals and one local Kashmiri man. The fourth attacker remains unidentified.
WHAT’S NEXT
India has yet to formally respond to Pakistan’s intelligence claim. However, the Indian government is under immense domestic pressure, especially after Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that perpetrators will be “punished beyond their imagination.” An official statement or military maneuver from New Delhi could come at any moment, with regional analysts bracing for potential escalation. Meanwhile, Pakistani military forces are reportedly on high alert.
VOICES ON THE GROUND
“This is not routine sabre-rattling. The mood here is very different—tense, even among civilians,” said a Pakistani defense analyst in Islamabad.
“I grabbed my son and locked the doors. I’ve seen this play out before—it always starts with shelling,” — Farooq Ahmad, a resident near the Line of Control.
“'Any such military adventurism by India would be responded to assuredly and decisively',” — Attaullah Tarar, Pakistan’s Information Minister.
CONTEXT
Kashmir has been a flashpoint between India and Pakistan since the 1947 partition. The region, claimed in full by both but controlled in parts by each, has been a battleground for two wars and countless skirmishes between the nuclear-armed neighbors. An insurgency in Indian-administered Kashmir has simmered since 1989, with frequent militant attacks targeting both military and civilian populations.
The current crisis echoes previous escalations, notably in 2016 and 2019, when India launched retaliatory strikes on Pakistani territory following deadly attacks. In both cases, tensions brought the two countries to the brink of open war.
Although India has not officially identified the group behind the Pahalgam massacre, early speculation centered on the Resistance Front—an organization linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based extremist group. However, the Resistance Front has denied any involvement in the killings.
REPORTER INSIGHT
From the rumble of bulldozers demolishing alleged militant homes to the hushed anxiety in border villages, it’s clear the situation is on a knife’s edge. The air is thick with apprehension, and every whisper of movement across the Line of Control carries the weight of potential calamity. This isn’t just rhetoric—it’s the kind of tension that has erupted into war before.
Get it on Google Play
0 Comments