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Pakistan Defence Minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, warned on Monday that a military incursion by India appeared imminent, following a deadly terrorist attack on tourists in Kashmir last week that has sharply escalated tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
Pahalgam Terror Attack
The attack, which took place on April 22, killed 26 civilians and sparked outrage across India. In response, Indian authorities have blamed Pakistan for backing the assault — described as the worst attack on civilians in Kashmir in recent years — a charge Islamabad has firmly rejected.
“We have reinforced our forces because it is something which is imminent now,” Asif said during an interview with Reuters at his office in Islamabad. “So in that situation, some strategic decisions have to be taken, so those decisions have been taken,” he added.
Pakistan on High Alert Amid Rising Tensions
According to Asif, Pakistan’s military had briefed the government on the likelihood of an Indian attack. However, he refrained from sharing further details regarding the specific reasons behind the military’s assessment that an incursion was imminent.
Asif emphasized that Pakistan remained on high alert and underlined the country’s nuclear policy, stating that its arsenal would only be used under extreme circumstances. “There is a direct threat to our existence,” he said, clarifying the conditions under which nuclear weapons might be deployed.
Diplomatic Fallout Between India and Pakistan
The April 22 attack triggered an intensive manhunt for the perpetrators, with India identifying two of the suspected attackers as Pakistani nationals. Islamabad, however, has denied any involvement and called for a neutral investigation into the incident.
In the days following the attack, India has taken a series of significant diplomatic and strategic measures against Pakistan. These include downgrading diplomatic ties, suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, closing the main land border crossing, and withdrawing visas for Pakistani nationals.
Pakistan responded by mirroring India’s actions: expelling Indian diplomats and military advisers, cancelling visas for Indian citizens, and closing its airspace to Indian aircraft.
India Bans Pakistani YouTube Channels
Earlier today, further escalating the information battle between the two countries, the Indian government banned more than a dozen Pakistani YouTube channels. Authorities cited the “provocative” content of these platforms as the reason for the move. Among those banned are prominent Pakistani news outlets such as Dawn, Samaa TV, ARY News, Bol News, Raftar, Geo News, and Suno News.
With inputs from agencies
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