WWIII
Pakistan says India attack is ‘imminent’ – but are they really on brink of war?
KASHMIR IS INDIA'S GAZA
Shweta Sharma
Tue, April 29, 2025
Pakistan’s defence minister said military action from India was “imminent”, days after a deadly terror attack on tourists in Kashmir heightened fears of a wider conflict.
Already strained ties between India and Pakistan deteriorated dramatically when 25 tourists and a local guide were shot dead by militants on 22 April in the tourist hotspot of Pahalgam in the federal territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
New Delhi directed its anger towards Pakistan and accused its neighbour of fuelling violent separatist insurgency in the scenic Himalayan region. Both India and Pakistan administer Kashmir in part and claim the region as a whole. Islamabad has denied any involvement in the Pahalgam attack.
Yet while India has vowed a “strong response” and its prime minister Narendra Modi has said the attackers will be hunted “to the ends of the Earth”, experts say the prospect of an all-out war between the two nuclear-armed South Asian rivals remains unlikely.
Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Pakistan’s defence minister, said the country was working on the assumption that India would attack in some form, and that it could happen as soon as in the next two or three days.
Pakistan’s defence forces are ready and the military has briefed the government on the possibility of the attack, he told Reuters from his office in Islamabad.
"We have reinforced our forces because it is something which is imminent now. So in that situation, some strategic decisions have to be taken, so those decisions have been taken," Mr Asif said.
Tue, April 29, 2025
Pakistan’s defence minister said military action from India was “imminent”, days after a deadly terror attack on tourists in Kashmir heightened fears of a wider conflict.
Already strained ties between India and Pakistan deteriorated dramatically when 25 tourists and a local guide were shot dead by militants on 22 April in the tourist hotspot of Pahalgam in the federal territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
New Delhi directed its anger towards Pakistan and accused its neighbour of fuelling violent separatist insurgency in the scenic Himalayan region. Both India and Pakistan administer Kashmir in part and claim the region as a whole. Islamabad has denied any involvement in the Pahalgam attack.
Yet while India has vowed a “strong response” and its prime minister Narendra Modi has said the attackers will be hunted “to the ends of the Earth”, experts say the prospect of an all-out war between the two nuclear-armed South Asian rivals remains unlikely.
Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Pakistan’s defence minister, said the country was working on the assumption that India would attack in some form, and that it could happen as soon as in the next two or three days.
Pakistan’s defence forces are ready and the military has briefed the government on the possibility of the attack, he told Reuters from his office in Islamabad.
"We have reinforced our forces because it is something which is imminent now. So in that situation, some strategic decisions have to be taken, so those decisions have been taken," Mr Asif said.
On the possibility of the use of nuclear weapons in response to the attack, Mr Asif said Islamabad was on high alert but would only use such weaponry if "there is a direct threat to our existence”.
In a separate interview with Pakistani media outlet Geo News, Mr Asif said the next few days were crucial. “If something has to happen, it will happen in two or three days,” Mr Asif told the news channel. “There is an immediate threat.” He said allies such as China, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states are trying to prevent conflict from breaking out.
In the days after what was the first deadly attack on tourists in decades in Kashmir, the relative quiet on the disputed border between India and Pakistan has been shattered, as troops repeatedly exchanged fire along the Line of Control (LoC), the 740km frontier separating the Indian and Pakistani-administered parts of Kashmir.
Indian police have identified three of the four gunmen who carried out the attack, naming two Pakistani nationals and a Kashmiri man, and accused Islamabad of harbouring and supporting terror groups operating in the region.
Pakistan has rejected the allegations and called for an independent investigation.
Ajay Bisaria, former Indian high commissioner to Pakistan from 2017 to 2020, told The Independent an Indian military response was to be expected, at a time and place of New Delhi’s choosing.
He suggested India may carry out a limited, targeted military operation, such as an airstrike or temporary incursion, to send a message without escalating into a broader conflict.
“A kinetic action – a repeat of 2016 and 2019 strikes – is expected along with a mix of policy responses from India. The policy response would involve diplomatic and bilateral moves,” Mr Bisaria said. In 2016, teams of Indian commandos crossed the LoC to carry out attacks up to a kilometre into Pakistan-administered Kashmir, while in 2019 the Indian air force carried out airstrikes on targets across the border.
Indian security officers inspect the site in Pahalgam where militants indiscriminately opened fired at tourists on Tuesday (AP)
“We can expect Pakistan to retaliate in some former way if India takes any kinetic measures. But we can also expect both sides to find a quick way to de-escalate the situation as soon as it escalates,” he added
The former diplomat said India’s action would require an element of surprise and secrecy as and when it happens, meaning it was unlikely to precisely mirror recent strikes.
Harsh V Pant, a strategic affairs expert at the Observer Research Foundation think tank, was sceptical of the Pakistani defence minister’s warning of an imminent Indian military action, saying such remarks “shouldn’t be taken at face value”.
“Asif has every incentive to escalate tensions rhetorically to draw international attention,” Mr Pant told The Independent, adding that Pakistan is trying to portray itself as a victim to trigger a global intervention before any actual Indian response.
The wife of Atul Mone, who was victim in a deadly attack on tourists in the Pahalgam region of Indian-administered Kashmir, mourns as she stands near her husband's body at Dombivali near Mumbai (AP)
He added: “If India were indeed planning any military operation, it would not be publicly telegraphed.
“If Pakistan is declaring an attack is coming, then India’s element of surprise is already lost. Indian action would likely prioritise strategic surprise, and if such planning is underway, India would keep it tightly under wraps.”
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, in his first public statement following the terror attack, declared that India would “identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backers. We will pursue them to the ends of the Earth”.
He said that the "terrorists behind the killings, along with their backers, will get a punishment bigger than they can imagine".
Aayushi Harpalani Udhwani, wife of Niraj Udhwani, who was killed in a suspected militant attack near Pahalgam in south Kashmir, is consoled by relatives during her husband's funeral at a cremation ground in Jaipur (Reuters)More
"Our enemies have dared to attack the country's soul ... India's spirit will never be broken by terrorism."
Pakistan claims it has ‘credible intelligence’ India will strike within 36 hours
Rhea Mogul and Sophia Saifi, CNN
Tue, April 29, 2025
Indian security officers inspect the site where militants opened fired at tourists in Pahalgam, Indian controlled Kashmir, on April 23, 2025. - AP
Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated further after a top Pakistani official claimed early Wednesday to have “credible intelligence” that New Delhi will carry out a military action against Islamabad within the next two days.
The claim came as both the United States and China urged restraint.
“Pakistan has credible intelligence that India intends carrying out military action against Pakistan in the next 24-36 hours,” Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said in an unusual middle of the night post on X. He did not elaborate on what evidence Pakistan had used to make the claim.
Tarar’s comments come just one week after militants massacred 26 tourists in the mountainous town of Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir, a rampage that has sparked widespread outrage.
India has accused Pakistan of being involved in the attack — a claim Islamabad denies. Pakistan has offered a neutral investigation into the incident.
CNN has contacted India’s defense ministry for response to Tarar’s claims.
Kashmir, one of the world’s most dangerous flashpoints, is controlled in part by India and Pakistan but both countries claim it in its entirety.
The two nuclear-armed rivals have fought three wars over the mountainous territory that is now divided by a de-facto border called the Line of Control since their independence from Britain nearly 80 years ago.
Last week’s attack sparked immediate widespread anger in India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is under tremendous pressure to retaliate with force.
India conducted airstrikes inside Pakistan in 2019 following a major insurgent attack on paramilitary personnel inside Indian-administered Kashmir. It was the first such incursion into Pakistan’s territory since a 1971 war between the two neighbors.
The latest attack on tourists in Kashmir has sparked fears that India might respond in a similar way.
Modi vowed to pursue the attackers “to the ends of the earth” in a fiery speech last week. The massacre set off an escalating tit-for-tat exchange of hostilities between the two countries over the past week.
Pakistan’s Tarar on Wednesday claimed any “military adventurism by India would be responded to assuredly and decisively.”
US and China react
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is urging calm and will speak to his counterparts in India and Pakistan, possibly “as soon as today,” State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said on Tuesday.
“We are reaching out to both parties, and telling, of course, them to not escalate the situation,” Bruce told reporters, quoting a statement by Rubio.
New Delhi is considered an important partner for Washington as it seeks to counter China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific region. Pakistan is also considered a key US partner.
China, which also claims control of part of Kashmir and has grown closer to Pakistan in recent years, has also urged restraint.
China’s foreign minister Wang Yi spoke to Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister Ishaq Dar last week, saying any conflict between Pakistan and India would “not serve the fundamental interests of each side” and posed a risk to regional security, state broadcaster CGTN reported.
India and China’s relationship has proved fractious in recent years, with clashes at their contested border. Meanwhile, Beijing and Islamabad have strengthened ties, with China continuing to invest in Pakistan under its Belt and Road Initiative.
Tit-for-tat moves
In the days after the Pahalgam attack, both countries swiftly downgraded ties with each other.
India canceled visa of Pakistani nationals, and Pakistan responded with a reciprocal move. Both countries have told diplomats and citizens to return home before April 30.
India has also suspended its participation in a crucial water-sharing pact.
The Indus Water Treaty has been in force since 1960 and is regarded as a rare diplomatic success story between the two fractious neighbors.
The treaty governs the sharing of water from the enormous Indus River system, a vital resource supporting hundreds of millions of livelihoods across Pakistan and northern India. The Indus originates in Tibet and flows through China and Indian-controlled Kashmir before reaching Pakistan.
Islamabad has called any attempt to stop or divert water belonging to Pakistan an act of war.
This week, New Delhi and Islamabad have both been flexing their military might.
Pakistan shot down an Indian drone that was used for “espionage” in the disputed Kashmir region on Tuesday, Pakistani security sources told CNN.
Two days earlier, India’s navy said it had carried out test missile strikes to “revalidate and demonstrate readiness of platforms, systems and crew for long range precision offensive strike.”
Tensions have been also been simmering along the Line of Control and gunfire has been exchanged along the disputed border for six straight nights.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
CNN’s Aishwarya S. Iyer contributed reporting.
Rhea Mogul and Sophia Saifi, CNN
Tue, April 29, 2025
Indian security officers inspect the site where militants opened fired at tourists in Pahalgam, Indian controlled Kashmir, on April 23, 2025. - AP
Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated further after a top Pakistani official claimed early Wednesday to have “credible intelligence” that New Delhi will carry out a military action against Islamabad within the next two days.
The claim came as both the United States and China urged restraint.
“Pakistan has credible intelligence that India intends carrying out military action against Pakistan in the next 24-36 hours,” Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said in an unusual middle of the night post on X. He did not elaborate on what evidence Pakistan had used to make the claim.
Tarar’s comments come just one week after militants massacred 26 tourists in the mountainous town of Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir, a rampage that has sparked widespread outrage.
India has accused Pakistan of being involved in the attack — a claim Islamabad denies. Pakistan has offered a neutral investigation into the incident.
CNN has contacted India’s defense ministry for response to Tarar’s claims.
Kashmir, one of the world’s most dangerous flashpoints, is controlled in part by India and Pakistan but both countries claim it in its entirety.
The two nuclear-armed rivals have fought three wars over the mountainous territory that is now divided by a de-facto border called the Line of Control since their independence from Britain nearly 80 years ago.
Last week’s attack sparked immediate widespread anger in India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is under tremendous pressure to retaliate with force.
India conducted airstrikes inside Pakistan in 2019 following a major insurgent attack on paramilitary personnel inside Indian-administered Kashmir. It was the first such incursion into Pakistan’s territory since a 1971 war between the two neighbors.
The latest attack on tourists in Kashmir has sparked fears that India might respond in a similar way.
Modi vowed to pursue the attackers “to the ends of the earth” in a fiery speech last week. The massacre set off an escalating tit-for-tat exchange of hostilities between the two countries over the past week.
Pakistan’s Tarar on Wednesday claimed any “military adventurism by India would be responded to assuredly and decisively.”
US and China react
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is urging calm and will speak to his counterparts in India and Pakistan, possibly “as soon as today,” State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said on Tuesday.
“We are reaching out to both parties, and telling, of course, them to not escalate the situation,” Bruce told reporters, quoting a statement by Rubio.
New Delhi is considered an important partner for Washington as it seeks to counter China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific region. Pakistan is also considered a key US partner.
China, which also claims control of part of Kashmir and has grown closer to Pakistan in recent years, has also urged restraint.
China’s foreign minister Wang Yi spoke to Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister Ishaq Dar last week, saying any conflict between Pakistan and India would “not serve the fundamental interests of each side” and posed a risk to regional security, state broadcaster CGTN reported.
India and China’s relationship has proved fractious in recent years, with clashes at their contested border. Meanwhile, Beijing and Islamabad have strengthened ties, with China continuing to invest in Pakistan under its Belt and Road Initiative.
Tit-for-tat moves
In the days after the Pahalgam attack, both countries swiftly downgraded ties with each other.
India canceled visa of Pakistani nationals, and Pakistan responded with a reciprocal move. Both countries have told diplomats and citizens to return home before April 30.
India has also suspended its participation in a crucial water-sharing pact.
The Indus Water Treaty has been in force since 1960 and is regarded as a rare diplomatic success story between the two fractious neighbors.
The treaty governs the sharing of water from the enormous Indus River system, a vital resource supporting hundreds of millions of livelihoods across Pakistan and northern India. The Indus originates in Tibet and flows through China and Indian-controlled Kashmir before reaching Pakistan.
Islamabad has called any attempt to stop or divert water belonging to Pakistan an act of war.
This week, New Delhi and Islamabad have both been flexing their military might.
Pakistan shot down an Indian drone that was used for “espionage” in the disputed Kashmir region on Tuesday, Pakistani security sources told CNN.
Two days earlier, India’s navy said it had carried out test missile strikes to “revalidate and demonstrate readiness of platforms, systems and crew for long range precision offensive strike.”
Tensions have been also been simmering along the Line of Control and gunfire has been exchanged along the disputed border for six straight nights.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
CNN’s Aishwarya S. Iyer contributed reporting.
Rhea Mogul, Aishwarya S. Iyer and Sophia Saifi, CNN
Mon, April 28, 2025
Indian security officers inspect the site in Pahalgam where militants opened fire on tourists in Pahalgam in Indian-controlled Kashmir, on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. - AP
Relations between India and Pakistan are cratering following a deadly militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that has sparked tit-for-tat reprisals and raised fears of another military escalation between the nuclear-armed rivals.
India and Pakistan both control parts of Kashmir but claim it in full, and have fought three wars over the mountainous territory. In 2019, Indian jets bombed targets inside Pakistan after a cross-border militant attack killed at least 40 Indian paramilitary personnel in its part of Kashmir.
All but one of the 26 tourists massacred in the attack on April 22 were Indian citizens. New Delhi swiftly pointed the finger at Pakistan, downgraded ties and suspended its participation in a crucial water-sharing treaty.
Pakistan has denied involvement and said that any attempt to stop or divert water belonging to Pakistan would be considered an act of war.
As tensions escalate, India’s navy said it launched test missile strikes in a show of strength.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to pursue the attackers “to the ends of the earth,” while the United Nations has called on the neighbors to exercise “maximum restraint.”
Here’s what you need to know.
What happened in Pahalgam?
Gunmen opened fire on sightseers in a popular travel destination in the mountainous destination of Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir.
At least 25 Indian citizens and one Nepali national were killed in the massacre, which unfolded in a valley only accessible by foot or on horseback.
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Eyewitnesses described scenes of horror as the gunmen approached, opening fire on tourists from close range.
US tells World Court that Israel is not required to work with UN Palestinian refugee agency
Associated Press
Some recalled how the men among the group were singled out and shot at. Other survivors told local media the gunmen accused some of the victims of supporting Prime Minister Modi.
Modi’s Hindu-nationalist government revoked Muslim-majority Kashmir’s constitutional autonomy in 2019, bringing it under the direct control of New Delhi, sparking widespread protests.
What’s the story with Kashmir?
Kashmir has been a flashpoint in India-Pakistan relations since both countries gained their independence from Britain in 1947.
The two nations to emerge from the bloody partition of British India – Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan – both claim Kashmir in full and, months after becoming independent, fought their first of three wars over the territory.
The divided region is now one of the most militarized places in the world.
For decades, several domestic militant groups, demanding either independence for Kashmir or for the area to become part of Pakistan, have fought Indian security forces, in violence that has killed tens of thousands. India says those groups are supported by Pakistan, which Islamabad denies.
Modi’s government has said that militancy has declined since the revocation of Kashmir’s autonomy in 2019. Analysts say the Pahalgam massacre has shattered that message.
The wife of Atul Mone, who was killed in the Pahalgam attack, mourns as she stands near her husband's body at Dombivali, near Mumbai, India, on Wednesday, April. 23, 2025. - Rajanish Kakade/APMore
Who has claimed responsibility?
It is not clear who is responsible for the Pahalgam attack.
A relatively new militant outfit called Kashmir Resistance, also known as The Resistance Front (TRF), initially claimed responsibility on social media but it has reportedly since walked back that claim, according to multiple local media reports.
CNN could not independently verify the initial claim, nor the subsequent withdrawal, and has reached out to the Indian army and police in Indian-administered Kashmir for comment.
India has classified TRF as a “terrorist organization” and linked it to the outlawed Islamist group Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), which was behind the deadly Mumbai attacks in 2008 and has a much higher profile.
Two days after the massacre, police in Indian-administered Kashmir published notices naming three LeT suspects allegedly involved in the attack. Two of the three are Pakistani nationals, according to the notices.
They did not say how the men were identified.
It is not clear who is responsible for the Pahalgam attack.
A relatively new militant outfit called Kashmir Resistance, also known as The Resistance Front (TRF), initially claimed responsibility on social media but it has reportedly since walked back that claim, according to multiple local media reports.
CNN could not independently verify the initial claim, nor the subsequent withdrawal, and has reached out to the Indian army and police in Indian-administered Kashmir for comment.
India has classified TRF as a “terrorist organization” and linked it to the outlawed Islamist group Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), which was behind the deadly Mumbai attacks in 2008 and has a much higher profile.
Two days after the massacre, police in Indian-administered Kashmir published notices naming three LeT suspects allegedly involved in the attack. Two of the three are Pakistani nationals, according to the notices.
They did not say how the men were identified.
An Indian Border Security Force soldier gestures as Pakistan citizens return to Pakistan through the India-Pakistan Wagah Border Post on April 24, 2025, one day after New Delhi took a raft of punitive diplomatic measures against Islamabad.
- Narinder Nanu/AFP/Getty Images
How have India and Pakistan responded?
India has justified its retaliatory moves as a response to Pakistan’s alleged “support for cross-border terrorism.”
New Delhi has closed a key border crossing and further restricted already limited visas for Pakistani citizens. It also expelled military, naval and air advisers from the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi.
Additionally, it suspended its role in the Indus Water Treaty, an important water-sharing pact between India and Pakistan that has been in force since 1960 and is regarded as a rare diplomatic success story between the two fractious neighbors.
The enormous Indus River system, which supports hundreds of millions of livelihoods across Pakistan and northern India, originates in Tibet, flowing through China and Indian-controlled Kashmir before reaching Pakistan. The vast volume of water is a vital resource for both countries, and the treaty governs how it is shared.
A Pakistan government statement said any attempt to stop or divert water belonging to Pakistan would be considered an act of war.
Following India’s move, Pakistan said it was suspending trade with India, closing its airspace and expelling Indian diplomats, calling New Delhi’s measures “unilateral, unjust, politically motivated, extremely irresponsible and devoid of legal merit.”
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on April 26 accused New Delhi of leveling “baseless allegations” against Islamabad and said it was “open to participating in any neutral, transparent and credible investigation.”
The next day, India’s navy said it conducted “anti-ship firings” to “revalidate and demonstrate readiness of platforms, systems and crew for long range precision offensive strike,” in a statement on X.
What is the situation like in Kashmir?
Tensions are heightened in Kashmir as Indian security forces continue to search for the suspects in the attack. Indian forces were “engaged in a gunfight with militants” in Bandipora district north of Srinagar during the search, the Indian army corps in Kashmir said on X.
Meanwhile, India’s army chief Gen. Upendra Dwivedi visited Kashmir on April 25 to “to assess the security situation in the region.”
Arshad Najam, 48, a school teacher who lives in Pakistan-administered Kashmir close to the line that divides the territory, said he was on edge.
“We have cleaned our bunker,” he told CNN. “There is fear among people… anything can occur at any moment.”
Thousands have flocked to the streets in recent days to condemn the deadly attacks as business owners express concerns over the impact it has already had on the popular tourist destination during peak season.
Jammu and Kashmir National Conference members attend a protest after tourists were killed, in Srinagar, Indian-controlled Kashmir, on Wednesday, April. 23, 2025.
- Mukhtar Khan/AP
“We all could not just sit by and watch. We came out to show emotion, solidarity, and condemn the killings,” said local resident Umar Nazir Tibetbaqan.
Meanwhile, anti-Pakistan protests have erupted in India’s capital Delhi and several other cities, raising fears of fueling anti-Kashmiri and anti-Muslim sentiment.
What happens next?
All eyes are now on how New Delhi and Islamabad will respond, with analysts fearing the potential for military escalation.
“Modi will have a very strong, if not irresistible, political compulsion to retaliate with force,” said Arzan Tarapore, a research scholar from Stanford University’s Center for International Security and Cooperation.
“We don’t know what that would look like, and it’s somewhat meaningless to speculate at this point, but I think the 2019 Balakot crisis provides some cues on what to watch for in India’s response,” Tarapore said, referring to New Delhi’s response to a militant attack on Indian troops which killed at least 40 paramilitary personnel in Indian-administered Kashmir.
New Delhi retaliated by launching airstrikes on Pakistan, the first such incursion into its territory since a 1971 war between the two.
“The key question will be will they seek to impose more meaningful, tangible costs on terrorist groups, including by targeting their leadership or headquarters facilities? Or will India go even further, crossing the threshold to attack the Pakistan army?” Tarapore said.
Esha Mitra contributed reporting. This story has been updated with additional information.
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?
“We all could not just sit by and watch. We came out to show emotion, solidarity, and condemn the killings,” said local resident Umar Nazir Tibetbaqan.
Meanwhile, anti-Pakistan protests have erupted in India’s capital Delhi and several other cities, raising fears of fueling anti-Kashmiri and anti-Muslim sentiment.
What happens next?
All eyes are now on how New Delhi and Islamabad will respond, with analysts fearing the potential for military escalation.
“Modi will have a very strong, if not irresistible, political compulsion to retaliate with force,” said Arzan Tarapore, a research scholar from Stanford University’s Center for International Security and Cooperation.
“We don’t know what that would look like, and it’s somewhat meaningless to speculate at this point, but I think the 2019 Balakot crisis provides some cues on what to watch for in India’s response,” Tarapore said, referring to New Delhi’s response to a militant attack on Indian troops which killed at least 40 paramilitary personnel in Indian-administered Kashmir.
New Delhi retaliated by launching airstrikes on Pakistan, the first such incursion into its territory since a 1971 war between the two.
“The key question will be will they seek to impose more meaningful, tangible costs on terrorist groups, including by targeting their leadership or headquarters facilities? Or will India go even further, crossing the threshold to attack the Pakistan army?” Tarapore said.
Esha Mitra contributed reporting. This story has been updated with additional information.
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?
Rafi Schwartz,
The Week US
Mon, April 28, 2025
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The 'scale and targeting' of the Kashmir attack make it 'all but assured' that India will respond 'with muscle'. | Credit: Illustration by Stephen Kelly / Getty Images
India and Pakistan inched closer to overt conflict last week after an attack in the Indian-administered Kashmir region left dozens dead and set the two nuclear-armed neighboring nations on the latest collision course. India has threatened to withdraw from the treaty that provides water to the bulk of Pakistan, prompting that country to close its airspace to Indian flights. As both countries continue baring their teeth at one another, where might all this hostility lead?
Mon, April 28, 2025
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.
The 'scale and targeting' of the Kashmir attack make it 'all but assured' that India will respond 'with muscle'. | Credit: Illustration by Stephen Kelly / Getty Images
India and Pakistan inched closer to overt conflict last week after an attack in the Indian-administered Kashmir region left dozens dead and set the two nuclear-armed neighboring nations on the latest collision course. India has threatened to withdraw from the treaty that provides water to the bulk of Pakistan, prompting that country to close its airspace to Indian flights. As both countries continue baring their teeth at one another, where might all this hostility lead?
What did the commentators say?
The "fast-rising tensions" between India and Pakistan have led to a "series of escalating tit-for-tat moves" since the terrorist attack, The Guardian said. As a result, the two nations have moved "closer to military confrontation." The hostilities are "rekindling memories of February 2019 when a car suicide bombing in Kashmir brought the two countries to the verge of war." The two nations have "unleashed a raft of measures" against one another in the last week, said Al Jazeera, and there have been "cross-border skirmishes" involving "small arms fire" across the India-Pakistan border. With "diplomatic, trade and travel links" in the region "already at a low ebb" since 2019, The Economist said, the actions taken in the past few days have been "largely symbolic."
In particular, India's threat to withdraw from the Indus Waters Treaty signifies a "rupture" with "huge symbolic and strategic weight," The New York Times said. Within Pakistan, there is "growing concern" as various Indian figures "hint at the possibility of military strikes," with some Pakistani analysts warning that the "current confrontation could intensify beyond the 2019 standoff." While Pakistan has denied allegations that its government may have played a role in the Kashmir attack, the incident fits a "pattern of terrorist attacks occurring on Indian soil," when the Pakistani military "feels excluded from the geopolitical conversation," said Manjari Chatterjee Miller, a senior fellow for India, Pakistan, and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations. Given the Trump administration's apparent closeness with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, current events "could have given such an impetus."
In Kashmir, "thousands have flocked to the streets" to protest the violence, while business owners "express concerns" over the commercial impact of the attacks on the "popular tourist destination during peak season," CNN said. At the same time, several anti-Pakistan protests have "erupted" in various Indian cities, raising fears of "fueling anti-Kashmiri and anti-Muslim sentiment."
What next?
For India, "military retaliation, at some point in the coming days, is a real possibility," said South Asia analyst Michael Kugelman at Newsweek. The "scale and targeting" of the Kashmir attack make it "all but assured" that India will respond "with muscle."
At the same time, New Delhi's regional rivalry with Beijing and the proximity of all three nations make the shared border the "world's only three-way nuclear junction," said The Associated Press. With China's support of Pakistan and the United States' ongoing backing of India, any India-Pakistani conflict that starts as a bilateral engagement is "unlikely to stay strictly between them, as their strategic partners are likely to get involved." Pakistan has "reinforced" its military forces ahead of an "imminent" action by India, said Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif to Reuters. But the country will only turn to its nuclear arsenal if "there is a direct threat to our existence."
Despite concerns of a wider regional conflict, China is thus far urging India and Pakistan to "exercise restraint," and "meet each other halfway" with "dialogue and consultation" for the sake of "regional peace and stability," said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun at Deutsche Welle.
The U.S., meanwhile, has met with Indian and Pakistani officials at "multiple levels" of government, and "encourages all parties to work together towards a responsible resolution," a state department spokesperson said to Reuters. India and Pakistan "work themselves into a frenzy every few years," said Husain Haqqani, a former Pakistan ambassador to the U.S., to Reuters. "This time, there is no U.S. interest in calming things down."
India hunts suspects days after deadly Kashmir attack
Neyaz Farooquee - BBC News, Delhi
Mon, April 28, 2025
Authorities in Indian-administered Kashmir have demolished the houses of at least 10 alleged militants [Getty Images]
Authorities in Indian-administered Kashmir have demolished the houses of at least 10 alleged militants and detained more people for questioning as investigations continue into last week's killings of 26 people.
Indian security forces have used explosives to destroy the properties since last Tuesday's attack on tourists. At least one was reportedly linked to a suspect named in the shootings.
India accuses Pakistan of supporting militants behind the killings, but has named no group it blames. Islamabad rejects the allegations.
It was the deadliest attack on civilians in two decades in the disputed territory. Both India and Pakistan claim the region and have fought two wars over it.
Troops from both sides have traded intermittent small-arms fire across the border for the past few days.
Speculation continues over whether India will respond with military strikes against Pakistan, as it did after deadly militant attacks in 2019 and 2016.
Authorities said last week they had conducted extensive searches in Indian-administered Kashmir, detaining more than 1,500 people for questioning since the attack near the tourist town of Pahalgam. More people have been detained since then, although the numbers are unclear.
Officials have not spoken publicly about the demolitions but the houses targeted reportedly belonged to families of alleged militants active in the region or those who have crossed over to Pakistan.
The demolitions at various locations across the Muslim-majority Kashmir valley began last Thursday, with the most recent occurring overnight on Saturday into Sunday.
The region's top leaders have supported action against alleged militants but questioned the demolitions of the homes of suspected militants' families.
Without mentioning the demolitions, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the guilty must be punished without mercy, "but don't let innocent people become collateral damage".
Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti also criticised the demolitions, cautioning the government to distinguish between "terrorists and civilians".
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AFP
Last November, India's Supreme Court banned so-called "bulldozer justice", a practice which has been on the rise in recent years in India.
Since the Pahalgam attack, a number of Kashmiri students enrolled in colleges in different parts of India have also reported being attacked or threatened by locals, asking them to leave.
Indian police have named three of four suspected attackers involved in the killings [Getty Images]
Kashmir, which India and Pakistan claim in full but administer only in part, has been a flashpoint between the two nuclear-armed countries since they were partitioned in 1947.
Indian-administered Kashmir has seen an armed insurgency against Indian rule since 1989, with militants targeting security forces and civilians alike.
India has not named any group it suspects carried out the attack in Pahalgam and it remains unclear who did it. A little-known group called the Resistance Front, which was initially reported to have claimed it carried out the shootings, issued a statement denying involvement. The front is reportedly affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based militant group.
Indian police have named three of four suspected attackers. They said two were Pakistani nationals and one a local man from Indian-administered Kashmir. There is no information on the fourth man.
Many survivors said the gunmen specifically targeted Hindu men.
The attack has sparked widespread anger in India, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly saying the country will hunt the suspects "till the ends of the earth" and that those who planned and carried it out "will be punished beyond their imagination".
Tensions between India and Pakistan rose within hours of the killings, resulting in tit-for-tat measures.
India immediately suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, a World Bank-brokered water sharing agreement between the two countries, prompting protests from Pakistan which said the stoppage or diversion of water would be "considered as an act of war".
Pakistan retaliated further by suspending the 1972 Simla agreement in which both countries had promised to resolve their disputes by peaceful means through bilateral negotiations.
The neighbours have also expelled many of each other's diplomats and revoked civilians' visas - already difficult to procure - leaving many stranded on both sides of the border. At least 500 Pakistani nationals, including diplomats and officials, have left India through the Attari-Wagah land border since the attack.
As tensions spiral, India has alleged firing by Pakistan along the Line of Control, the de facto border between the two countries, for four nights in a row. Pakistan has not confirmed it yet.
On Sunday, Modi repeated his promise to get justice to families of those killed in the attack, saying it was meant to disrupt the normalcy the region was returning to after years of violence.
"The enemies of the country, of Jammu and Kashmir, did not like this," he said in his monthly radio address.
Over the weekend, a US state department spokesperson told Reuters that Washington was in touch with the governments of India and Pakistan and wanted them to work towards a "responsible resolution", while the British foreign secretary David Lammy spoke to his counterparts in India and deputy prime minister in Pakistan.
With additional reporting from Aamir Peerzada and Shafat Farooq in Srinagar
Kashmir leader calls for caution in Indian response after deadly attack
Shivam Patel
Mon, April 28, 2025
Omar Abdullah, Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, consoles the father of Adil Hussain Shah who was killed in a suspected militant attack near Pahalgam, before the funeral prayers in Hapatnard
By Shivam Patel
SRINAGAR (Reuters) - India should not do anything to alienate Kashmiris in its hunt for militants who killed 26 people last week, especially as residents of the Muslim-majority Himalayan region have staged protests against that attack, its chief minister said on Monday.
The April 22 killings of tourists by gunmen from an armed Islamist group have prompted a crackdown on suspected militants in the troubled region, including the demolition of nine homes belonging to the families of suspected Islamist militants.
Hindu-majority India has been fighting an armed insurgency in Kashmir for decades, though in recent years the situation had improved. The picturesque region is claimed in full by both India and Pakistan but ruled only in part by the neighbours.
"We should not do anything to alienate the people after their spontaneous reaction (against the attack)," Omar Abdullah, chief minister of the Indian federal territory of Jammu and Kashmir, said in the local assembly house.
"Guns can only control militancy, not finish it. It will only end when the people are with us. It seems people are now reaching that stage."
He did not elaborate, but several protests, including candlelight demonstrations and a symbolic day long shutdown, were held in the past week in Kashmir against the attack.
Some Kashmir residents have also spoken out against the move by the authorities to destroy several homes of militants' families, like that of Rifat Sheikh.
On Monday, she stood next to her razed kitchen, assessing the damage she said was caused by explosives used by the police to demolish the house.
Police say her brother Asif is with the Lashkar-e-Taiba armed group, which New Delhi has declared a terrorist organisation and is suspected to have had a role in the April 22 attack.
Sheikh said her family had not seen or spoken with Asif after he left home one morning in 2022 on the pretext of going to the local market.
"Why are they punishing us by destroying our house this way for what they say he has done?" she asked. "We don't know where he is or what he is doing. This is provocation, but I pray that people remain calm."
Two police officials, speaking on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the matter, say they were only acting against homes that retained connections with militants. They denied using explosives or detaining any members of militants’ families.
Nazir Ahmad Wani's house in Kashmir's Khasipora village was one of the nine homes destroyed so far. Police say his son, Amir Nazir, is a member of the Jaish-e-Mohammed group that India has designated as a terrorist outfit.
Broken pieces of glass lay in the backyard of Wani's home where he grew maize crops. The roof of the house was pulled down due to the impact of the explosives, his relatives said, adding that Amir left the home in April last year and didn't return.
"I was kept at the police station all night. They didn't tell me anything at the time. I only learned of the damage the next morning when I came to the house," said Wani.
(Reporting by Shivam Patel, Editing by William Maclean)
Pakistan says intelligence suggests Indian military action likely soon
Asif Shahzad
Tue, April 29, 2025
FILE PHOTO: A Pakistan flag is seen on Pakistan Rangers Post near the Attari-Wagah border crossing near Amritsar
FILE PHOTO: Border Security Force (BSF) security personnel stand guard at the Attari-Wagah crossing on the India-Pakistan border in Amritsa
ISLAMABAD/SRINAGAR (Reuters) -Pakistan said on Wednesday it has "credible intelligence" that India intends to launch military action soon, as tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours escalate following a deadly attack on tourists in Indian Kashmir.
In the April 22 attack, the Islamist assailants segregated men, asked their names and targeted Hindus before shooting them at close range in the Pahalgam area, killing 26 people, officials and survivors said.
India has identified the three attackers, including two Pakistani nationals, as "terrorists" waging a violent revolt in Muslim-majority Kashmir. Islamabad has denied any role and called for a neutral investigation.
Hindu-majority India accuses Islamic Pakistan of funding and encouraging militancy in Kashmir, the Himalayan region both nations claim in full but rule in part. Islamabad says it only provides moral and diplomatic support to a Kashmiri demand for self-determination.
The old rivals, born out of the partition of British colonial India in 1947, have taken measures against each other since the attack, with India putting the critical Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance and Pakistan closing its airspace to Indian airlines.
Pakistan said it had "credible intelligence" that India intends to carry out military action against it in the "next 24-36 hours on the pretext of baseless and concocted allegations of involvement in the Pahalgam incident".
India's foreign and defence ministries did not respond to requests for comment.
In a statement early on Wednesday, Islamabad said it condemned terrorism in all forms and will respond "assuredly and decisively" to any military action from India.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to pursue and punish the Pahalgam attackers.
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India's cabinet committee on security (CCS), consisting of Modi and his interior, defence, foreign, home and finance ministers, also met on Wednesday, local media reported, its second session since the April 22 attack.
Modi told his military chiefs earlier this week that they have the freedom to decide the country's response to the Pahalgam attack, a government source said.
Small-arms fire between the two armies has spread to more points along the frontier between the two countries.
The Indian army said it responded to "unprovoked" firing from multiple Pakistani army posts around midnight on Tuesday, the sixth consecutive violation of their ceasefire agreement, but did not give further details or report any casualties.
The military operations' chiefs of the two countries also held their weekly conversation by phone on Tuesday, two Indian military sources and a Pakistani official with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
"The Indian side objected strongly to unprovoked firing happening from Pakistan," one Indian source said. The Pakistani official did not comment on the content of the conversation.
The Pakistani military did not respond to a request for comment.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in separate phone calls with India and Pakistan, stressed the need to "avoid a confrontation that could result in tragic consequences".
The United States has also urged the two not to escalate tensions. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to speak soon with his counterparts in India and Pakistan.
Britain has called for calm between its Indian and Pakistani communities, and advised against all travel to Jammu and Kashmir, with few exceptions.
(Reporting by Asif Shahzad in Islamabad, Fayaz Bukhari in Srinagar, Shivam Patel and Nigam Prusty in New Delhi, Mrinmay Dey in Bengaluru; writing by Tanvi Mehta and Sakshi Dayal; editing by Daniel Wallis, Raju Gopalakrishnan and Mark Heinrich)
India shuts over half of Kashmir tourist spots in security review after attack
Fayaz Bukhari and Shivam Patel
Mon, April 28, 2025
A traditional Shikara boat is seen in the waters of Dal Lake as the Hazratbal shrine is seen in the background in Srinagar
Kashmiri men row a traditional shikara boat on the waters of Dal Lake in Srinagar
A Kashmiri woman walking on a street is seen through a road blockade in Srinagar
India shuts over half of Kashmir tourist spots in security review after attack
1 of 5
A traditional Shikara boat is seen in the waters of Dal Lake as the Hazratbal shrine is seen in the background in Srinagar
By Fayaz Bukhari and Shivam Patel
SRINAGAR/NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Over half of the tourist destinations in India's insurgency-torn Kashmir region were closed to the public from Tuesday, according to a government order reviewed by Reuters, in a move to tighten security after last week's attack on holiday-makers.
The assailants segregated men, asked their names and targeted Hindus before shooting them at close range in the Pahalgam area, killing 26 people, officials and survivors said
India has identified the three attackers, including two Pakistani nationals, as "terrorists" waging a violent revolt in Muslim-majority Kashmir. Pakistan has denied any role and called for a neutral investigation.
Hindu-majority India accuses Islamic Pakistan of funding and encouraging militancy in Kashmir, the Himalayan region both nations claim in full but rule in part. Islamabad says it only provides moral and diplomatic support to a Kashmiri demand for self-determination.
Tensions between the nuclear-armed South Asian neighbours have increased since the attack, along with calls in India for action against Pakistan.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Indian military chiefs on Tuesday at his residence, along with the Indian defence minister and the national security adviser, a government source said. Modi, the source said, told the military chiefs that they had the freedom to decide India's response to the Pahalgam attack.
Delhi and Islamabad have taken a raft of measures against each other since the Kashmir attack. India has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty - an important river-sharing pact. Pakistan has closed its airspace to Indian airlines.
The government of India's Jammu and Kashmir territory has decided to shut 48 of the 87 tourist destinations in Kashmir and has enhanced security at the remaining ones, according to a government document reviewed by Reuters.
No time frame for the closures was given. Government officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Nestled in the Himalayas with lofty peaks, picturesque valleys and grand Mughal-era gardens, Kashmir has been emerging as India's tourism hotspot as violence there has waned in recent years.
But the Pahalgam attack has left panic-stricken tourists seeking an early exit at the start of the busy summer season.
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Shooting has also increased along the 740-km (460-mile) de facto border separating the Indian and Pakistani areas of Kashmir.
On Tuesday, for the fifth consecutive day, the Indian army said it had responded to "unprovoked" small arms fire from multiple Pakistan army posts around midnight.
It gave no further details and reported no casualties. The Pakistani military did not respond to a request for comment.
Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif told Reuters on Monday that a military incursion by India was imminent and it had reinforced its forces in preparation.
Indian military authorities have identified attempts by Pakistan-based hackers to infiltrate four websites associated with the military and harvest information, including a website of an organisation tasked with building homes for serving and retired Indian Army personnel, two officials familiar with the matter said.
(Reporting by Fayaz Bukhari in Srinagar and Shivam Patel in New Delhi; writing by Tanvi Mehta; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
Dozens of tourist resorts in Indian-controlled Kashmir are closed after deadly attack
Shivam Patel
Mon, April 28, 2025
Omar Abdullah, Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, consoles the father of Adil Hussain Shah who was killed in a suspected militant attack near Pahalgam, before the funeral prayers in Hapatnard
By Shivam Patel
SRINAGAR (Reuters) - India should not do anything to alienate Kashmiris in its hunt for militants who killed 26 people last week, especially as residents of the Muslim-majority Himalayan region have staged protests against that attack, its chief minister said on Monday.
The April 22 killings of tourists by gunmen from an armed Islamist group have prompted a crackdown on suspected militants in the troubled region, including the demolition of nine homes belonging to the families of suspected Islamist militants.
Hindu-majority India has been fighting an armed insurgency in Kashmir for decades, though in recent years the situation had improved. The picturesque region is claimed in full by both India and Pakistan but ruled only in part by the neighbours.
"We should not do anything to alienate the people after their spontaneous reaction (against the attack)," Omar Abdullah, chief minister of the Indian federal territory of Jammu and Kashmir, said in the local assembly house.
"Guns can only control militancy, not finish it. It will only end when the people are with us. It seems people are now reaching that stage."
He did not elaborate, but several protests, including candlelight demonstrations and a symbolic day long shutdown, were held in the past week in Kashmir against the attack.
Some Kashmir residents have also spoken out against the move by the authorities to destroy several homes of militants' families, like that of Rifat Sheikh.
On Monday, she stood next to her razed kitchen, assessing the damage she said was caused by explosives used by the police to demolish the house.
Police say her brother Asif is with the Lashkar-e-Taiba armed group, which New Delhi has declared a terrorist organisation and is suspected to have had a role in the April 22 attack.
Sheikh said her family had not seen or spoken with Asif after he left home one morning in 2022 on the pretext of going to the local market.
"Why are they punishing us by destroying our house this way for what they say he has done?" she asked. "We don't know where he is or what he is doing. This is provocation, but I pray that people remain calm."
Two police officials, speaking on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the matter, say they were only acting against homes that retained connections with militants. They denied using explosives or detaining any members of militants’ families.
Nazir Ahmad Wani's house in Kashmir's Khasipora village was one of the nine homes destroyed so far. Police say his son, Amir Nazir, is a member of the Jaish-e-Mohammed group that India has designated as a terrorist outfit.
Broken pieces of glass lay in the backyard of Wani's home where he grew maize crops. The roof of the house was pulled down due to the impact of the explosives, his relatives said, adding that Amir left the home in April last year and didn't return.
"I was kept at the police station all night. They didn't tell me anything at the time. I only learned of the damage the next morning when I came to the house," said Wani.
(Reporting by Shivam Patel, Editing by William Maclean)
Pakistan says intelligence suggests Indian military action likely soon
Asif Shahzad
Tue, April 29, 2025
FILE PHOTO: A Pakistan flag is seen on Pakistan Rangers Post near the Attari-Wagah border crossing near Amritsar
FILE PHOTO: Border Security Force (BSF) security personnel stand guard at the Attari-Wagah crossing on the India-Pakistan border in Amritsa
ISLAMABAD/SRINAGAR (Reuters) -Pakistan said on Wednesday it has "credible intelligence" that India intends to launch military action soon, as tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours escalate following a deadly attack on tourists in Indian Kashmir.
In the April 22 attack, the Islamist assailants segregated men, asked their names and targeted Hindus before shooting them at close range in the Pahalgam area, killing 26 people, officials and survivors said.
India has identified the three attackers, including two Pakistani nationals, as "terrorists" waging a violent revolt in Muslim-majority Kashmir. Islamabad has denied any role and called for a neutral investigation.
Hindu-majority India accuses Islamic Pakistan of funding and encouraging militancy in Kashmir, the Himalayan region both nations claim in full but rule in part. Islamabad says it only provides moral and diplomatic support to a Kashmiri demand for self-determination.
The old rivals, born out of the partition of British colonial India in 1947, have taken measures against each other since the attack, with India putting the critical Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance and Pakistan closing its airspace to Indian airlines.
Pakistan said it had "credible intelligence" that India intends to carry out military action against it in the "next 24-36 hours on the pretext of baseless and concocted allegations of involvement in the Pahalgam incident".
India's foreign and defence ministries did not respond to requests for comment.
In a statement early on Wednesday, Islamabad said it condemned terrorism in all forms and will respond "assuredly and decisively" to any military action from India.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to pursue and punish the Pahalgam attackers.
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India's cabinet committee on security (CCS), consisting of Modi and his interior, defence, foreign, home and finance ministers, also met on Wednesday, local media reported, its second session since the April 22 attack.
Modi told his military chiefs earlier this week that they have the freedom to decide the country's response to the Pahalgam attack, a government source said.
Small-arms fire between the two armies has spread to more points along the frontier between the two countries.
The Indian army said it responded to "unprovoked" firing from multiple Pakistani army posts around midnight on Tuesday, the sixth consecutive violation of their ceasefire agreement, but did not give further details or report any casualties.
The military operations' chiefs of the two countries also held their weekly conversation by phone on Tuesday, two Indian military sources and a Pakistani official with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
"The Indian side objected strongly to unprovoked firing happening from Pakistan," one Indian source said. The Pakistani official did not comment on the content of the conversation.
The Pakistani military did not respond to a request for comment.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in separate phone calls with India and Pakistan, stressed the need to "avoid a confrontation that could result in tragic consequences".
The United States has also urged the two not to escalate tensions. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to speak soon with his counterparts in India and Pakistan.
Britain has called for calm between its Indian and Pakistani communities, and advised against all travel to Jammu and Kashmir, with few exceptions.
(Reporting by Asif Shahzad in Islamabad, Fayaz Bukhari in Srinagar, Shivam Patel and Nigam Prusty in New Delhi, Mrinmay Dey in Bengaluru; writing by Tanvi Mehta and Sakshi Dayal; editing by Daniel Wallis, Raju Gopalakrishnan and Mark Heinrich)
India shuts over half of Kashmir tourist spots in security review after attack
Fayaz Bukhari and Shivam Patel
Mon, April 28, 2025
A traditional Shikara boat is seen in the waters of Dal Lake as the Hazratbal shrine is seen in the background in Srinagar
Kashmiri men row a traditional shikara boat on the waters of Dal Lake in Srinagar
A Kashmiri woman walking on a street is seen through a road blockade in Srinagar
India shuts over half of Kashmir tourist spots in security review after attack
1 of 5
A traditional Shikara boat is seen in the waters of Dal Lake as the Hazratbal shrine is seen in the background in Srinagar
By Fayaz Bukhari and Shivam Patel
SRINAGAR/NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Over half of the tourist destinations in India's insurgency-torn Kashmir region were closed to the public from Tuesday, according to a government order reviewed by Reuters, in a move to tighten security after last week's attack on holiday-makers.
The assailants segregated men, asked their names and targeted Hindus before shooting them at close range in the Pahalgam area, killing 26 people, officials and survivors said
India has identified the three attackers, including two Pakistani nationals, as "terrorists" waging a violent revolt in Muslim-majority Kashmir. Pakistan has denied any role and called for a neutral investigation.
Hindu-majority India accuses Islamic Pakistan of funding and encouraging militancy in Kashmir, the Himalayan region both nations claim in full but rule in part. Islamabad says it only provides moral and diplomatic support to a Kashmiri demand for self-determination.
Tensions between the nuclear-armed South Asian neighbours have increased since the attack, along with calls in India for action against Pakistan.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Indian military chiefs on Tuesday at his residence, along with the Indian defence minister and the national security adviser, a government source said. Modi, the source said, told the military chiefs that they had the freedom to decide India's response to the Pahalgam attack.
Delhi and Islamabad have taken a raft of measures against each other since the Kashmir attack. India has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty - an important river-sharing pact. Pakistan has closed its airspace to Indian airlines.
The government of India's Jammu and Kashmir territory has decided to shut 48 of the 87 tourist destinations in Kashmir and has enhanced security at the remaining ones, according to a government document reviewed by Reuters.
No time frame for the closures was given. Government officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Nestled in the Himalayas with lofty peaks, picturesque valleys and grand Mughal-era gardens, Kashmir has been emerging as India's tourism hotspot as violence there has waned in recent years.
But the Pahalgam attack has left panic-stricken tourists seeking an early exit at the start of the busy summer season.
More in World
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Shooting has also increased along the 740-km (460-mile) de facto border separating the Indian and Pakistani areas of Kashmir.
On Tuesday, for the fifth consecutive day, the Indian army said it had responded to "unprovoked" small arms fire from multiple Pakistan army posts around midnight.
It gave no further details and reported no casualties. The Pakistani military did not respond to a request for comment.
Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif told Reuters on Monday that a military incursion by India was imminent and it had reinforced its forces in preparation.
Indian military authorities have identified attempts by Pakistan-based hackers to infiltrate four websites associated with the military and harvest information, including a website of an organisation tasked with building homes for serving and retired Indian Army personnel, two officials familiar with the matter said.
(Reporting by Fayaz Bukhari in Srinagar and Shivam Patel in New Delhi; writing by Tanvi Mehta; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
Dozens of tourist resorts in Indian-controlled Kashmir are closed after deadly attack
AIJAZ HUSSAIN and SHEIKH SAALIQ
Tue, April 29, 2025
Indian paramilitary soldiers patrol as they guard at a busy market in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)ASSOCIATED PRESS
A locked garden gate is seen in Srinagar after it was closed by authorities as a precautionary safety measure following last week's deadly attack on tourists near the resort town of Pahalgam, Indian controlled Kashmir, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)ASSOCIATED PRESS
Indian paramilitary soldiers patrol as they guard at a busy market in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)ASSOCIATED PRESS
SRINAGAR, India (AP) — Authorities in Indian-controlled Kashmir temporarily closed dozens of the tourist resorts in the scenic Himalayan region after last week’s deadly attack on tourists raised tensions between India and Pakistan and led to an intensifying security crackdown in Kashmir.
At least two police officers and three administrative officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity in keeping with departmental policy, said Tuesday that the decision to shut 48 of the 87 government-authorized resorts was a safety precaution. They did not specify how long these places would be out of bounds for visitors.
The decision comes a week after gunmen killed 26 people, most of them Indian tourists, near the resort town of Pahalgam.
The massacre set off tit-for-tat diplomatic measures between India and Pakistan that included cancellation of visas and a recall of diplomats. New Delhi also suspended a crucial water sharing treaty with Islamabad and ordered its border shut with Pakistan. In response, Pakistan has closed its airspace to Indian airlines.
India accuses Pakistan of backing the attack
India has described the massacre as a “terror attack” and accused Pakistan of backing it. Pakistan has denied any connection to the attack, and it was claimed by a previously unknown militant group calling itself the Kashmir Resistance.
Some tourists who survived the massacre have told Indian media that the gunmen singled out Hindu men and shot them from close range. The dead included a Nepalese citizen and a local Muslim pony ride operator.
Kashmir is split between India and Pakistan and claimed by both in its entirety. New Delhi describes all militancy in Indian-controlled Kashmir as Pakistan-backed terrorism. Pakistan denies this, and many Muslim Kashmiris consider the militants to be part of a home-grown freedom struggle.
Tensions spike between India and Pakistan
As tensions escalate, cross-border firing between soldiers of India and Pakistan has also increased along the Line of Control, the de facto frontier that separates Kashmiri territory between the two rivals. On Tuesday, the Indian army in a statement said it had responded to “unprovoked” small arms fire from multiple Pakistan army posts for a fifth consecutive night.
The incidents could not be independently verified. In the past, each side has accused the other of starting border skirmishes in the Himalayan region.
Early Wednesday, Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Islamabad had credible intelligence that India intended to carry out military action against Pakistan in the next 24-36 hours over the “baseless and concocted allegations of involvement” in the Pahalgam attack.
He said in the statement that Pakistan would respond to any such action and the responsibility for any consequences of the escalation lay with India.
Indian officials had no immediate comment.
The U.S. State Department called for deescalation and said that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would be speaking soon to the Indian and Pakistani foreign ministers.
Pakistani troops shot down a small Indian spy drone that flew hundreds of meters into Pakistani-controlled Kashmir, three Pakistani security officials told The Associated Press on Tuesday, speaking on condition of anonymity as they weren’t allowed to speak to the media. The drone was shot down on Monday in the border town of Bhimber, they said.
Meanwhile, government forces in the region have detained and questioned nearly 2,000 people, officials and residents said. Many of the detained are former rebels fighting against Indian rule and others who officials describe as “over ground workers” of militants, a term authorities use for civilians suspected of associating with insurgents.
Indian soldiers have demolished the family homes of at least nine suspected militants across Kashmir, using explosives.
The region’s top pro-India leaders have supported action against suspected militants but also questioned the demolitions.
Omar Abdullah, the region’s chief minister, said Monday that any heavy-handed tactics against civilians should be avoided. “We should not take any step that will alienate people,” Abdullah told the region’s lawmakers during a legislative session.
Ruhullah Mehdi, a lawmaker from the region in India’s national parliament, termed the demolitions of homes as “collective punishment.”
Cancellations overwhelm Kashmir tourism industry
Indian tourism has flourished in Kashmir after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government promoted visits to the region with the hope of showing rising tourism numbers as a sign of renewed stability there.
Millions of visitors arrive in Kashmir to see its Himalayan foothills and exquisitely decorated houseboats, despite regular skirmishes between insurgents and government forces. According to official data, close to 3 million tourists visited the region in 2024, a rise from 2.71 million visitors in 2023 and 2.67 million in 2022.
But last week's attack has left many tourists scared and some have left the region. Widespread cancellations are also being reported by tour operators, with some estimates putting the number at more than 1 million.
___
Associated Press writer Munir Ahmed in Islamabad contributed to this report.
Tue, April 29, 2025
Indian paramilitary soldiers patrol as they guard at a busy market in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)ASSOCIATED PRESS
A locked garden gate is seen in Srinagar after it was closed by authorities as a precautionary safety measure following last week's deadly attack on tourists near the resort town of Pahalgam, Indian controlled Kashmir, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)ASSOCIATED PRESS
Indian paramilitary soldiers patrol as they guard at a busy market in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)ASSOCIATED PRESS
SRINAGAR, India (AP) — Authorities in Indian-controlled Kashmir temporarily closed dozens of the tourist resorts in the scenic Himalayan region after last week’s deadly attack on tourists raised tensions between India and Pakistan and led to an intensifying security crackdown in Kashmir.
At least two police officers and three administrative officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity in keeping with departmental policy, said Tuesday that the decision to shut 48 of the 87 government-authorized resorts was a safety precaution. They did not specify how long these places would be out of bounds for visitors.
The decision comes a week after gunmen killed 26 people, most of them Indian tourists, near the resort town of Pahalgam.
The massacre set off tit-for-tat diplomatic measures between India and Pakistan that included cancellation of visas and a recall of diplomats. New Delhi also suspended a crucial water sharing treaty with Islamabad and ordered its border shut with Pakistan. In response, Pakistan has closed its airspace to Indian airlines.
India accuses Pakistan of backing the attack
India has described the massacre as a “terror attack” and accused Pakistan of backing it. Pakistan has denied any connection to the attack, and it was claimed by a previously unknown militant group calling itself the Kashmir Resistance.
Some tourists who survived the massacre have told Indian media that the gunmen singled out Hindu men and shot them from close range. The dead included a Nepalese citizen and a local Muslim pony ride operator.
Kashmir is split between India and Pakistan and claimed by both in its entirety. New Delhi describes all militancy in Indian-controlled Kashmir as Pakistan-backed terrorism. Pakistan denies this, and many Muslim Kashmiris consider the militants to be part of a home-grown freedom struggle.
Tensions spike between India and Pakistan
As tensions escalate, cross-border firing between soldiers of India and Pakistan has also increased along the Line of Control, the de facto frontier that separates Kashmiri territory between the two rivals. On Tuesday, the Indian army in a statement said it had responded to “unprovoked” small arms fire from multiple Pakistan army posts for a fifth consecutive night.
The incidents could not be independently verified. In the past, each side has accused the other of starting border skirmishes in the Himalayan region.
Early Wednesday, Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Islamabad had credible intelligence that India intended to carry out military action against Pakistan in the next 24-36 hours over the “baseless and concocted allegations of involvement” in the Pahalgam attack.
He said in the statement that Pakistan would respond to any such action and the responsibility for any consequences of the escalation lay with India.
Indian officials had no immediate comment.
The U.S. State Department called for deescalation and said that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would be speaking soon to the Indian and Pakistani foreign ministers.
Pakistani troops shot down a small Indian spy drone that flew hundreds of meters into Pakistani-controlled Kashmir, three Pakistani security officials told The Associated Press on Tuesday, speaking on condition of anonymity as they weren’t allowed to speak to the media. The drone was shot down on Monday in the border town of Bhimber, they said.
Meanwhile, government forces in the region have detained and questioned nearly 2,000 people, officials and residents said. Many of the detained are former rebels fighting against Indian rule and others who officials describe as “over ground workers” of militants, a term authorities use for civilians suspected of associating with insurgents.
Indian soldiers have demolished the family homes of at least nine suspected militants across Kashmir, using explosives.
The region’s top pro-India leaders have supported action against suspected militants but also questioned the demolitions.
Omar Abdullah, the region’s chief minister, said Monday that any heavy-handed tactics against civilians should be avoided. “We should not take any step that will alienate people,” Abdullah told the region’s lawmakers during a legislative session.
Ruhullah Mehdi, a lawmaker from the region in India’s national parliament, termed the demolitions of homes as “collective punishment.”
Cancellations overwhelm Kashmir tourism industry
Indian tourism has flourished in Kashmir after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government promoted visits to the region with the hope of showing rising tourism numbers as a sign of renewed stability there.
Millions of visitors arrive in Kashmir to see its Himalayan foothills and exquisitely decorated houseboats, despite regular skirmishes between insurgents and government forces. According to official data, close to 3 million tourists visited the region in 2024, a rise from 2.71 million visitors in 2023 and 2.67 million in 2022.
But last week's attack has left many tourists scared and some have left the region. Widespread cancellations are also being reported by tour operators, with some estimates putting the number at more than 1 million.
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Associated Press writer Munir Ahmed in Islamabad contributed to this report.
