Pakistan’s information minister has claimed that the country possesses “credible intelligence” regarding India’s alleged plans to launch a military strike in the next 24 to 36 hours. These comments come in response to India’s accusations that Pakistan is supporting militants responsible for an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, which resulted in the killing of 26 tourists last week. However, Islamabad denies these allegations.
According to Tarar, India intends to use the attack as a false pretext for a strike and should any such military adventurism occur, Pakistan will respond in a decisive manner. The BBC has reached out to the Indian foreign ministry for further comment.
The attack near the tourist town of Pahalgam marks the deadliest incident involving civilians in the disputed region over the past two decades. Both India and Pakistan lay claim to the region and have previously fought two wars over it. Recently, there has been intermittent exchange of small-arms fire across the border.
Speculation has risen over the likelihood of India’s response through military strikes against Pakistan, similar to actions taken after deadly militant attacks in 2016 and 2019. Authorities conducted extensive searches in Indian-administered Kashmir last week, leading to the detention of over 1,500 individuals for questioning. Since then, the numbers of detentions have been unclear.
Authorities have also demolished the houses of at least 10 alleged militants, with at least one suspected individual linked to the shootings. Kashmir, claimed in full by both India and Pakistan but administered only in part, has been a source of tension between the two nations since their partition in 1947. Indian-administered Kashmir has experienced an armed insurgency against Indian rule since 1989, with militants targeting both security forces and civilians.
India has not yet named the group responsible for the attack in Pahalgam. Initially, a little-known group called the Resistance Front claimed responsibility, although they later denied involvement. The front is reportedly affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based militant group. Indian police have identified three out of four suspected attackers, stating that two are Pakistani nationals and one is a local man from Indian-administered Kashmir. There is no information available about the fourth individual.
Many survivors reported that the gunmen specifically targeted Hindu men during the attack. This incident has sparked widespread anger in India, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledging to hunt the suspects down “till the ends of the earth” and emphasizing that those responsible will be punished beyond their imagination.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c75dgz5pq2no
