Pakistan’s government has issued a stark warning that neighboring India may be planning a military strike within the next 24 to 36 hours, amid rapidly rising tensions between the two nuclear-armed countries.

Speaking on Wednesday, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar claimed that Islamabad had “credible intelligence” indicating India intends to launch a strike, using last week’s deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir as justification.

“Pakistan has credible intelligence that India intends to launch a military strike within the next 24 to 36 hours using the Pahalgam incident as a false pretext,” Tarar posted on social media.
“Any act of aggression will be met with a decisive response. India will be fully responsible for any serious consequences in the region.”

The current standoff follows a recent attack in Pahalgam, a tourist destination in Indian-administered Kashmir, that killed 26 men. India has pointed the finger at Pakistani-linked groups, while Pakistan has firmly denied any involvement and is calling for an impartial investigation.

In the days since the attack, both nations have moved quickly to escalate pressure:

• India has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty — a critical agreement governing water sharing between the two countries.
• Pakistan has responded by closing its airspace to Indian airlines.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to track down and punish those responsible for the Pahalgam attack. Meanwhile, Pakistani officials are warning that any Indian aggression could provoke a serious regional crisis.

Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, said a military move by India is imminent. However, he clarified that Pakistan would only consider using nuclear weapons in the event of a “direct threat to our existence.”

Kashmir has long been a source of conflict between India and Pakistan. Both countries claim the region in full but control different parts. Over the decades, they’ve fought multiple wars over the territory, making it one of the most volatile flashpoints in South Asia.

As of now, India’s foreign ministry has not publicly commented on the Pakistani warnings.

Source: SCMP – Pakistan minister warns India planning attack before Friday amid Kashmir tensions

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A dream trip turned into a nightmare this week when 26 tourists were brutally shot dead by militants in Indian-administered Kashmir, a tragedy that has reignited tensions between India and Pakistan and left families heartbroken and scarred.

Among the victims was Ramachandran Narayanamenon, 69, who had just returned home after decades working in Qatar, ready to enjoy a peaceful retirement filled with travel and time with family. He had embarked on the trip with his wife, daughter, and grandchildren, excited to make new memories.

“He sounded so happy when we spoke before his flight,” recalled his longtime friend Balachandran Menonparambil, who described Narayanamenon as “caring, reliable, and full of life.”
A day later, Menonparambil learned his best friend was gone.

“I tried calling him when I saw the news, but there was no answer,” he said. “When I spoke to his son, he told me, ‘Dad is gone.’ It feels like only half of me is working now.”

The attack, according to survivors, was terrifying and deliberate. Militants singled out men and shot them at close range. Some survivors said the gunmen accused their victims of supporting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The massacre took place in Pahalgam, a popular tourist spot, and has plunged families into unimaginable grief.

Kavita Lele lost her husband, Sanjay, 50, and two cousins, Hemant Joshi, 45, and Atul Mone, 43. All three were family men and the main providers for their households. They had come from just outside Mumbai, excited for a long-planned getaway.

Kavita, who struggles with partial paralysis, had hesitated to join the trip. But her husband insisted: “If you don’t come, none of us will go,” he had told her. Eventually, she agreed—and together they set off for Kashmir.

Shortly before the attack, the group bought food from a local stall. When the gunfire erupted, they initially mistook it for fireworks. Locals quickly warned them to seek shelter, but it was too late. The three men were shot, and a bullet grazed the hand of their 20-year-old nephew, Harshal.

Kavita, despite her disability, took nearly four agonizing hours to make her way down the hill to safety.

“They were so excited for this trip,” said Rajesh Kadam, Kavita’s brother-in-law, who later traveled to Kashmir to help bring the survivors home. “Now, our lives are changed forever. This pain will never end.”

The attack has once again strained India-Pakistan relations. India swiftly blamed Pakistan for supporting the militant groups behind the killings, a charge Islamabad denies. In response, New Delhi downgraded diplomatic ties and suspended cooperation in a key water-sharing treaty—moves that have edged the nuclear-armed rivals closer to renewed confrontation.

The backdrop of violence in Kashmir is a familiar one. Both India and Pakistan claim the region in full but control only parts of it. Since 1947, the two nations have fought three wars over the mountainous territory, and a decades-long insurgency has taken tens of thousands of lives.

In 2019, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi revoked Kashmir’s autonomy, further fueling unrest in the Muslim-majority region. Tuesday’s attack is the latest reminder that, for all the natural beauty Kashmir offers, deep political and religious divides continue to drive deadly violence.

Across India, protests have erupted demanding justice for the victims and accountability for those responsible. But for the families forever changed by this attack, no amount of action can erase the pain.

“We now have to live with this,” said Kadam. “There is no going back.”

Source: CNN – Family and friends shattered and scarred by tourist massacre in Kashmir

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SRINAGAR, India — Tensions between India and Pakistan have sharply escalated following a deadly attack in Kashmir that killed 26 civilians. The fallout has triggered a wave of retaliatory measures on both sides, raising fears of further conflict in the region.

India, blaming Pakistan for the attack, revoked all visas for Pakistani nationals effective Sunday. Pakistani citizens currently in India have been ordered to leave before their visas expire. India also announced a series of additional punitive actions:

• Reduction of diplomatic staff in both countries
• Closure of the only operational land border crossing
• Suspension of the Indus Water Treaty, a landmark agreement that has endured through multiple wars

Pakistan struck back by:

• Closing its airspace to Indian-owned and operated airlines
• Suspending all trade with India, including indirect trade through third countries

The attack, which targeted civilians in the disputed region of Kashmir, is being described as the worst in years. India claims the assault has clear “cross-border links” to Pakistan, though no public evidence has been presented. A group calling itself Kashmir Resistance claimed responsibility.

Pakistan has denied any involvement, condemning what it calls India’s “belligerent measures.” Islamabad warned that any attempt by India to halt or redirect river flows under the water-sharing agreement would be considered an “act of war.”

Top ministers in both countries have hinted at the possibility of military action.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said any aggressive move by India would receive a “tit-for-tat kinetic response.”
India’s Defense Minister Rajnath Singh pledged to find and punish both the perpetrators and their backers.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also sent a strong message at a rally:

“We will identify, track, and punish every terrorist, their handlers, and their backers. We will pursue them to the ends of the earth.”

India’s suspension of the Indus Water Treaty — a World Bank-brokered agreement from 1960 that governs the use of shared rivers — is particularly significant. The treaty has survived two wars and a major border conflict. For Pakistan, where agriculture heavily relies on these rivers, any disruption could be devastating.

Pakistan responded by staging public protests, with demonstrators gathering in cities like Islamabad outside the Indian High Commission, demanding a strong response.

Since 2019, when Modi’s government revoked Kashmir’s semi-autonomous status, tensions have remained high. While a ceasefire was renewed in 2021, this recent attack has put that fragile calm at risk.

Experts warn the situation could spiral.
Ashok Malik, a former Indian foreign ministry advisor, noted that military retaliation is on the table.

“There’s space for kinetic action under the nuclear threshold,” he said.
Meanwhile, Praveen Donthi of the International Crisis Group cautioned that Modi’s tough talk may leave India with limited options if tensions continue to rise.

The attack also sent shockwaves through Kashmir itself. Typically, militant actions target security forces, not civilians or tourists. But this incident triggered a rare outpouring of public grief.

Locals held candlelight vigils, and many businesses shut down in protest and mourning.

“People here are in fear and panic,” said Manzoor Ahmed, a hotel owner. “This will scare off the few tourists we have left.”

Several funerals have taken place across Indian cities, with an atmosphere of national grief and rising anger.

Source: AP News – India and Pakistan ramp up tit-for-tat spat as tensions mount over Kashmir attack

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Tragedy struck the scenic region of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday as gunmen opened fire on a group of tourists in the mountain town of Pahalgam, killing at least 26 people and injuring more than a dozen, according to local authorities.

The attack, described by Jammu and Kashmir’s Chief Minister Omar Abdullah as “much larger than anything we’ve seen directed at civilians in recent years,” targeted visitors in the peaceful Baisaran Valley — a popular destination only accessible on foot or horseback.

Eyewitnesses described the horrifying scene. Gunmen fired from close range at the tourists, most of whom were enjoying a break during the region’s busy travel season. One woman told reporters her husband was shot in the head, while seven others nearby were also hit.

Rescue efforts began immediately, with the injured rushed to Anantnag’s main hospital. Police have not yet confirmed whether any foreign nationals were among the victims.

The attack has rattled a region long familiar with unrest but rarely targeted in such a way. For decades, Jammu and Kashmir — a disputed territory claimed by both India and Pakistan — has seen waves of militancy and political tension. Yet attacks specifically targeting tourists remain uncommon.

In response, India’s Home Minister Amit Shah flew to the region and chaired an emergency security meeting. The Indian Army has launched an extensive search operation, vowing to bring the attackers to justice.

All private schools across Jammu and Kashmir will remain closed Wednesday as a precaution.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly condemned the attack, calling it a “heinous act” and promising swift justice. “Their evil agenda will never succeed,” he wrote in a post on X.

The international community quickly responded. Former US President Donald Trump expressed support for India, calling the attack “deeply disturbing.” He also reached out directly to Prime Minister Modi to extend condolences. Vice President JD Vance, currently visiting India with his family, echoed Trump’s sentiments, posting: “Our thoughts and prayers are with them as they mourn this horrific attack.”

Leaders from Russia, France, Italy, Israel, Iran, Ukraine, and the UAE also issued statements of condemnation and support.

This is not the first time violence has touched this region’s tourism sector. Just last year, suspected militants attacked a bus carrying Hindu pilgrims, causing a crash that killed nine and injured dozens more.

The Pahalgam area is also located along the route of the Amarnath Yatra — a major Hindu pilgrimage that has previously been targeted by militants.

India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) quickly blamed neighboring Pakistan for supporting militant groups that operate in the region. “They want to plunge Kashmir back into fear and chaos,” said BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur.

Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, however, rejected the allegations. “We have nothing to do with this, and we do not support terrorism anywhere,” he told a local TV network.

While the Indian government maintains that militant activity has decreased in recent years, incidents like this remind the world how fragile the peace remains. Since 2019, when India revoked the region’s special autonomy, tensions have escalated amid heavy military presence and communication blackouts.

Despite these challenges, Kashmir continues to attract thousands of tourists during the spring and summer months. But with violence again making headlines, concerns are rising over the future of tourism and stability in the region.

As search operations continue and authorities investigate the motive behind this brutal attack, the people of Kashmir — and the world — are once again left mourning innocent lives lost to senseless violence.

Source: CNN – Gunmen open fire on tourists in Himalayan region, killing at least 26 people, police say

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