Pakistan said in the early morning hours of Wednesday, April 30, that it expects Indian military action within 24 to 36 hours. Officials cited what they called “credible intelligence” and rising tensions following a deadly assault on Hindu tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir, Reuters reported.
Islamabad warned it will respond “assuredly and decisively” if any incursion takes place and stated the “onus of any escalatory spiral and its consequences shall squarely lie with India.”
The warning comes just over a week after gunmen opened fire on a group of pilgrims in Pahalgam, a popular tourist destination in the Kashmir Valley. Indian officials said 26 people were killed in the attack and described it as a deliberate targeting of Hindus.
Authorities identified three suspects, including two Pakistani nationals, and linked the assault to Islamist militants. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed retaliation and, according to government sources, gave military leaders the freedom to choose their response.
Pakistan denied any involvement in the incident, and its information minister, Attaullah Tarar, called India’s claims about the attack “baseless and concocted.” Tarar accused New Delhi of using the incident as a pretext for military escalation.
Pakistan offered a third-party investigation led by neutral experts, Tarar said, but he alleged India rejected the proposal.
Diplomatic and military fallout
In the days following the attack, Reuters reported that India suspended visa services for Pakistani citizens and paused participation in the Indus Waters Treaty, a critical water-sharing agreement. Pakistan responded by closing its airspace to Indian airlines. On Wednesday, India shut its airspace to Pakistani airlines until May 23, Reuters wrote.
Military tensions also escalated along the Line of Control in Kashmir.
Indian and Pakistani troops exchanged small-arms fire over six consecutive nights, according to Indian officials, though no casualties were reported. Despite reported cross-border gunfire, the two countries’ military commanders held their weekly hotline call, during which India raised objections over the recent shootings.
International calls for restraint
The United Nations warned about the dangers of escalation. According to a spokesperson, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres held calls with officials in both countries and urged them to avoid a conflict with “tragic consequences.”
The U.S. State Department also called for de-escalation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to speak with his Indian and Pakistani counterparts.
The United Kingdom issued a travel advisory against visiting Jammu and Kashmir and called for calm within its Indian and Pakistani communities.
Ongoing uncertainty
Pakistani officials said they are on high alert.
Tarar said any action by India would be met with force, and he placed responsibility for further escalation squarely on the country’s leadership.
India has not commented publicly on Pakistan’s intelligence warning. However, its cabinet committee on security met to discuss the situation — the group’s second such session since the Kashmir attack. The committee, led by Modi, includes India’s key ministers overseeing defense, foreign affairs, finance and internal security.
Both countries claim the entire territory of Kashmir but control different portions of it. India and Pakistan have fought three wars since 1947 — two of them over the disputed Himalayan region.
A ceasefire agreement has been in place since 2021, but the latest developments have renewed fears of open conflict.
