New Delhi: Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has warned that a military strike by India appears “imminent” in the wake of the recent terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam region. The statement comes as tensions escalate between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
The attack, which occurred in the Baisaran Valley of Pahalgam, claimed the lives of 26 civilians, most of whom were tourists. Indian officials have blamed the assault on The Resistance Front (TRF), a group widely considered a proxy of the Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Two of the attackers identified by Indian authorities are alleged to be Pakistani nationals, a claim Islamabad has firmly denied.
Speaking to Reuters, Asif said that Pakistan has reinforced its military positions in anticipation of potential Indian aggression. “We have reinforced our forces because it is something which is imminent now,” he stated, adding that strategic decisions had been made in light of the developments. However, he did not provide specific evidence supporting his claim of an imminent incursion.
In a subsequent interview with Geo News, Asif clarified that his remarks had been “misinterpreted,” suggesting that while Pakistan is on high alert, there is no confirmed threat of Indian military action.
The Pakistani government has also urged its ministers to refrain from making provocative statements, given the current sensitive diplomatic climate. According to sources, Islamabad seeks to avoid further escalation and maintain a controlled response amid international scrutiny.
India, for its part, has taken a series of diplomatic and strategic steps in response to the Pahalgam attack. These include suspending the Indus Waters Treaty and closing the Attari border crossing. There is growing domestic pressure for a strong retaliatory measure, with comparisons being drawn to past actions such as the 2016 surgical strikes in Uri and the 2019 Balakot airstrikes following the Pulwama attack.
Meanwhile, former Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Shesh Paul Vaid made a controversial statement, asserting that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) would be reclaimed and predicting a potential fragmentation of Pakistan into four parts.
As regional tensions flare, both countries face calls for restraint from international observers, who fear that any miscalculation could lead to a larger conflict.
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