A week after 26 people were killed in the Indian-controlled terrorist attack in Kashmir, concerns have been growing about the possibility of a military conflict between nuclear neighbours India and Pakistan. Late on Tuesday night, the Pakistani government alleged that India had a “reliable intelligence” that it planned to take military action in retaliation for the terrorist attack on April 22.
“Pakistan has the credible intelligence that it intends to carry out military operations against Pakistan in the next 24-36 hours under the pretext of India’s unfounded claims that it was enrolled in the Pahargam incident,” Pakistani Information Minister Atala Tara said at a midnight press conference.
The remarks came hours after Indian media reported that Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave the country’s troops “full operational freedom to determine modes, targets and timing of responses to terrorist attacks.”
Modi met with a senior government minister and military commander behind a closed door on Tuesday evening to discuss the reaction to the attack.
India quickly accused Pakistan of being involved in the attack. Islamabad has denied any liability and offered to conduct an investigation.
The terrorist attack on April 22 was argued by a lesser-known group called Kashmir’s resistance, but there was no way to support the allegations made on social media.
A few days after tourists were killed in popular holiday areas, India has taken many non-military measures against Pakistan, halting important water sharing agreements, downgrading diplomatic relations, and urging Pakistani citizens to leave the country. Pakistan announced similar mutual measures a day later.
Kashmir is fully claimed by both India and Pakistan, but countries have been controlling their own parts of the mountainous region for decades. The two countries have fought three wars in the region and are now divided by a de facto border called the Control (LOC).
Indian and Pakistani troops in the region have repeatedly fired LOCs over the past six days.
The scenic Himalayas have been regularly hit by radical violence since the start of an armed anti-Indian rebellion in 1989.
MNA