In a sharp escalation of rhetoric in the aftermath of the recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, Pakistan’s information minister Attaullah Tarar claimed that his government possesses „credible intelligence“ indicating that India is planning a military strike within the next 24 to 36 hours. The warning was accompanied by a message to New Delhi, cautioning that any such action would trigger consequences. The minister alleged that India is using „baseless and concocted“ claims about Pakistani involvement in the Pahalgam incident to justify military aggression. He also emphasised that Pakistan itself has long been a victim of terrorism and consistently condemned it in all its forms.
Tarar further stated that Pakistan had itself been a victim of terrorism and had always condemned it in all its forms and manifestations. He added that Islamabad had offered a „credible, transparent and independent“ probe by a neutral commission of experts, and accused India of evading investigation and choosing a confrontational path. The statement came hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday told the top defence brass that the armed forces have „complete operational freedom“ to decide on the mode, targets and timing of India’s response to the Pahalgam terror attack, news agency PTI reported citing government sources.
In a strong statement, Prime Minister Modi vowed that the perpetrators and their „backers“ would be identified, tracked, and punished, declaring India’s resolve to pursue the killers to the „ends of the earth“, as India stepped up the diplomatic offensive against Pakistan. Meanwhile, Pakistan has urged the international community to remain alive, warning that any military adventurism by India would be „responded to assuredly and decisively“ and that the „onus of any escalatory spiral and its consequences shall squarely lie with India.“
The looming threat of an Indian military strike has reportedly triggered chaos within the Pakistani Army. In a letter to Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir, Lieutenant General Umar Ahmad Bukhari revealed that 1,450 soldiers, including 250 officers, have resigned over the past 72 hours. Since the Pahalgam attack, around 5,000 troops and officers have quit the Pakistani military. The resignations reportedly include 520 from the 12th Corps Quetta, 380 from the Force Command Northern Areas, and 550 from the First Corps Mangla.
As many as 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed and more than a dozen others injured in the Pahalgam terror attack which occurred on April 22. This has been one of the biggest terror attacks after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. The government, however, has yet to officially confirm the number of casualties in the terror attack in Pahalgam. Following the terror attack, security forces launched search operations to track down the terrorists responsible. Security has been heightened since the attack, with visuals from the area showing the streets deserted in the usually bustling tourist area.
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