Pakistan's government said early Wednesday it had received "credible intelligence" indicating India intends to carry out a military strike within 24 to 36 hours, sharply escalating tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors following a massacre in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 people.
"Pakistan has credible intelligence that India intends carrying out military action against Pakistan in the next 24-36 hours," Information Minister Attaullah Tarar posted on X just after midnight. Islamabad did not provide evidence supporting the claim but vowed any "military adventurism by India would be responded to assuredly and decisively."
The allegation comes amid mounting hostilities following the April 22 attack in the Pahalgam region of Kashmir, where gunmen reportedly targeted Hindu tourists at close range. India blamed Pakistan for the assault, naming two Pakistani nationals among the attackers. Islamabad denied any role and has called for a neutral investigation.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, under growing domestic pressure to respond, declared he would pursue the perpetrators "to the ends of the earth." His cabinet committee on security convened for the second time since the attack on Wednesday, with a source saying Modi has given his military chiefs "freedom to decide the country's response."
The latest claims triggered a flurry of international concern. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to speak to officials in both countries "as soon as today," said State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce. "We are reaching out to both parties, and telling, of course, them to not escalate the situation," she said, quoting a statement by Rubio.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres also made direct calls to both governments, urging restraint. China, which shares a disputed border with India and is a close ally of Pakistan, warned that conflict would “not serve the fundamental interests of each side," according to a statement by Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
India's foreign and defense ministries did not respond to requests for comment on Pakistan's accusation. However, both countries have begun taking tit-for-tat measures:
- India canceled visas for Pakistani nationals.
- Pakistan responded by suspending visas for Indian citizens and closing its airspace to Indian airlines.
- India paused its participation in the Indus Waters Treaty, a long-standing agreement governing shared water from the Indus River system. Islamabad warned any attempt to divert its share of water would be "an act of war."
Gunfire has reportedly been exchanged across the Line of Control for six consecutive nights. On Tuesday, Pakistani security sources said they shot down an Indian drone conducting "espionage" over Kashmir. Meanwhile, India's navy conducted test missile strikes to demonstrate "readiness of platforms, systems and crew for long-range precision offensive strike."
The Indus River Treaty, signed in 1960, is considered one of the few enduring diplomatic accords between the neighbors. It regulates water sharing from a critical river system that supports hundreds of millions across India and Pakistan. The current suspension marks one of the most serious challenges to the agreement in decades.
