In a significant escalation of tension, India launched missile strikes against Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir yesterday. This has sparked a promise of retaliation from Pakistan, which claims to have shot down five Indian aircraft in the most severe confrontation between the two nuclear-armed nations in over twenty years.
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During a meeting with over a dozen foreign envoys in New Delhi, India issued a stark warning: “If Pakistan responds, India will respond.” This declaration raises the specter of a broader military conflict in one of the world’s most perilous and densely populated nuclear flashpoints.
This escalation coincides with a delicate moment for Pakistan’s economy, which has only recently emerged from an economic crisis. The government is striving to stabilize finances and make headway on a $7 billion (€6bn) loan program from the International Monetary Fund set for 2024.
As tensions flared, India reported that it targeted nine “terrorist infrastructure” sites, some allegedly linked to a recent attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that claimed the lives of 25 Hindu tourists and one local. This operation included both deaths from missile strikes and border shelling.
In response, Pakistan vowed to retaliate “at a time, place, and manner of its choosing” to avenge the loss of innocent lives and to counter what it perceives as a blatant violation of its sovereignty. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared in a televised address, “For the blatant mistake that India made last night, it will now have to pay the price.”
Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, asserted that any retaliatory strikes would solely target military installations rather than civilian populations. “Perhaps they thought we would retreat, but they forgot that…this is a nation of brave people,” he stated, emphasizing the resolve of his country.
India’s Defensive Minister, Rajnath Singh, remarked, “The targets we had set were destroyed with precision according to a well-planned strategy,” ensuring that civilian populations were minimally affected. However, Pakistan strongly disagrees, contending that the six locations targeted were civilian sites, not militant camps.
Amidst the strikes, 57 commercial aircraft were airborne over Pakistan, endangering thousands of lives, including those aboard airlines from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Thailand, South Korea, and China.
In Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, the Indian assault significantly damaged a mosque-seminary, leading to the deaths of three individuals. Local reports detailed the destruction, with the concrete structure’s roof and walls crumbled and personal belongings scattered across the first floor. An Indian source labeled the mosque as a “terrorist camp,” a characterization that Pakistan has vehemently denied.
Historically, Hindu-majority India and Islamic Pakistan have fought two of their three wars over the contested Muslim-majority region of Kashmir since gaining independence in 1947. In a statement from the Prime Minister’s office, it was reported that five Indian fighter jets and drones were intercepted, a claim India has deemed “disinformation.”
Local government sources in Indian-administered Kashmir reported that three fighter jets crashed in distinct areas, with their pilots requiring medical attention. Images circulating in local media depicted a significant piece of damaged aircraft at one of the crash sites, though Reuters has yet to verify the authenticity of these images.
Indian military officials assert that the strikes targeted facilities associated with militant groups Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba. “India made it clear that if Pakistan responds, India will respond,” said Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri during a briefing with foreign diplomats.
The neighbors have also exchanged intense artillery fire across their de facto border, resulting in casualties on both sides. Thirteen civilians were reported killed and 43 injured on the Indian side, while at least six deaths occurred in Pakistan.
Michael Kugelman, a South Asia analyst based in Washington, noted the unprecedented scale of Indian strikes and suggested, “Given the scale of the Indian strike, which was far greater than what we saw in 2019, we can expect a sizable Pakistani response.” U.S. President Donald Trump expressed hope for a resolution, stating, “I want to see India and Pakistan work it out, and hopefully, they can stop now.” Calls for restraint have also echoed from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, China, Russia, and the UK.
Such rising tensions have sparked anger among citizens on both sides. “Pakistan has been testing our patience. The good thing is India is taking revenge,” stated Kumar Ravi Shankar, a lawyer in Delhi. Meanwhile, Pakistani businessman Umbreen Mahar reflected, “No one in today’s world wants to favor war, but if India continues to slander us and then attack, Pakistan has the right to retaliate and defend its sovereignty.”
The repercussions of these military actions were immediate, with several airlines canceling flights in the affected regions due to the closure of airports and airspace. Pakistan’s international bonds recovered from early losses, although its benchmark share index declined by 2.2% after initially opening nearly 6% lower. Conversely, India’s stock market indicators remained relatively stable, while the Indian rupee depreciated by nearly 0.5% against the US dollar, marking its most significant decline since April 9.
As tensions continue to rise, the eyes of the world remain fixed on how both nations will navigate this precarious situation.
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International – Monitoring.
