Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated following a deadly attack on tourists in Kashmir, with Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif stating that a military incursion by India appears "imminent". The attack on April 22 in Pahalgam resulted in the death of 26 people and has triggered outrage in India, with accusations leveled against Pakistan for supporting militancy in the region.
Asif, in an interview with Reuters on Monday, said that Pakistan has reinforced its forces in response to the perceived threat. "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," Asif told Reuters. He added that the Pakistani military had briefed the government on the possibility of an Indian attack and that India's rhetoric was intensifying.
India has accused Pakistan of backing the attack, identifying two suspected militants as Pakistani. Islamabad has denied any involvement and has called for a neutral investigation into the incident.
Amidst the rising tensions, Pakistan's Information and Broadcasting Minister, Attaullah Tarar, said that Islamabad has "credible intelligence" that India intends to launch a military strike within the next 24 to 36 hours, according to Al Jazeera. Tarar accused India of using the Pahalgam attack "as a false pretext" to potentially strike Pakistan and warned that "any act of aggression will be met with a decisive response".
In response to the escalating situation, Pakistan is on high alert. Asif also reiterated Pakistan's stance on the use of nuclear weapons, stating that the country would only resort to its strategic arsenal if there is a direct threat to its existence.
Following the attack, India has reportedly taken diplomatic and economic measures, including downgrading diplomatic ties, suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, and closing the main land border crossing. Pakistan has responded in kind, ordering the expulsion of Indian diplomats and military advisors, canceling visas for Indian nationals, and barring its airspace to Indian airplanes.
