India: Indian and Pakistani troops have exchanged fire across the Line of Control (LOC), escalating already heightened tensions between the two nations in the aftermath of the deadliest attack in Indian-administered Kashmir in more than two decades.
The United Nations has called for maximum restraint from both sides with rising fears of a broader military escalation. The exchange of fire, confirmed by sources on both sides, comes just days after at least 26 people were killed in a deadly assault at a resort in Pahalgam, located in the Anantnag district of Kashmir.
Indian army sources told that Pakistani forces initiated the firing. A Pakistani official in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Syed Ashfaq Gilani, confirmed that gunfire was exchanged but did not identify the party responsible for starting it. He added that no civilian areas were targeted in the skirmish.
The attack has been claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), believed to be an offshoot of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based armed group designated as a terrorist organisation by the United Nations. Indian police have announced a reward of $23,500 (two million rupees) for any information leading to the arrest of three TRF members allegedly involved.
Diplomatic fallout between the two countries has intensified since the Pahalgam massacre. India has withdrawn from the Indus Waters Treaty, a longstanding water-sharing accord, while Pakistan has responded by halting a canal irrigation project and closing its airspace to Indian airlines.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif firmly rejected any accusations of Islamabad’s involvement in the Pahalgam attack, stating that infiltration along the highly secured LOC is not possible. He added that blaming Pakistan will not resolve what he described as India’s occupation of Kashmir.
Meanwhile, India’s Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi arrived in Pahalgam to assess the security situation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to pursue the attackers to the ends of the Earth. Security forces have launched a sweeping crackdown, detaining hundreds and questioning possible suspects linked to the TRF.
Responding to India’s recent actions, Shafqat Ali Khan, spokesperson for Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, stated that the country is prepared to retaliate if provoked.
Shafqat Ali Khan stated that, “Pakistan’s army remains fully capable and prepared to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity against any misadventure. The Pakistani nation remains committed to peace, but will never allow anyone to transgress its sovereignty, security, dignity, and their inalienable rights.”
The region of Kashmir, divided since the 1947 partition, has remained a flashpoint between India and Pakistan, sparking three wars and numerous skirmishes over the decades.
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